A wild Safari
by Chavonnie26
Summary: It all started on an ordinary day. Now the Teen Titans have a mystery on their hands. Who is this new heroine and how is she connected to the new girl in town? And why does Beastboy hate both girls so much? Ironicly BBXOC, RobStar, CyBee, HeraldXOC, SpeedyXOC Set after Things Change.
1. Chapter 1

**Me: Lately I've been reading a lot of Teen Titans fics and decided that I should have a go at it. This is a standalone fic so you don't have to read any of my other stories to understand it but I encourage you to read my other stories anyway. So before we start the story here's my new OC Safari to do the disclaimer.**

**Safari: Chavonnie26 owns only me and my dad. Wow that has to be the shortest disclaimer ever.**

**Me: I know. Well anyway here's the chapter.**

-Line Break-

It was a clear and cloudless day in Jump City and as usual the Teen Titans were enjoying it in the park. Well most of them. Everyone was doing what they normally did. Raven was reading in the shade, Beastboy and Cyborg were arguing over the food and Robin and Starfire were making kissy faces at each other.

But this sense of normality was shattered when they all heard a voice call out "WATCH OUT!" followed by the owner crashing into their picnic table turning it over and spilling food everywhere.

"Oops. Sorry I'm still learning how to skate-board and I guess I got a little carried away." The person who crashed into the table said.

Said person turned out to be a short girl around 15 with coffee coloured skin, black hair that was in multiple braids and almost yellow eyes. She wore a bright red off the shoulder shirt, multiple bangles up and down each arm, short blue shorts that showed off her long brown legs and red ballet flats. She also wore a blue helmet and had a blue and red skate-board.

"Dude you just ruined my tofu." Beastboy said as he picked up the ruined remains of his tofu-burger.

"I said I was sorry." The girl said as she seemed to shrink away from the angry teens.

"Jasiri it's time to go home!" Called a male voice that the girl seemed to recognise.

"Coming Baba!" the girl shouted as she quickly skated away.

"Hey what about my tofu?!" Beastboy shouted at her as she seemed to pick up speed.

"Buy more." The girl now known as Jasiri said over her shoulder.

"Personally I think she just did you a favour Grass Stain." Cyborg said as Jasiri skated out of sight.

By this point Beastboy was fuming. He even had a storm cloud above his head.

"Let's go before we get crashed into by anymore novice skate-boarders." Raven said in her monotone as she used her powers to right the table.

Everyone nodded for their own reasons. Robin's was mainly because he wanted to find out more about Jasiri because she looked familiar while Beastboy's was nearly the opposite. He wanted to get as far away from the girl as possible because she reminded him a little too much of a certain earth controller. When they were done packing up they went back to their home/HQ. The moment they arrived back at the tower they all went to do their usual activities as Robin researched more about the girl they encountered in the park.

-Line Break-

"Jasiri you know not to run off like that." The girl's father told her as they drove home from the park that same day.

"Baba I'm not a little girl anymore. Can't I have just a little more freedom?" Jasiri asked her father as she slunk down in her seat while still wearing her helmet.

"Jasiri I'm only looking out for you. What would have happened if one of the Titans were more hostile and attacked you?" the father said as they arrived at their new house.

They had both just moved to Jump City and were still unpacking.

"But they weren't. When are you going to stop treating me like a child?" Jasiri asked her father as she got out the car.

"When you stop acting like one." Her father replied.

In response Jasiri stormed into the house and stomped up to her room.

"If I live to be a hundred I'll never understand her." Jasiri's dad said as he entered the house himself.

-Line Break-

The next day all the Titans were at their favourite pizza place and doing what they usually did. Mainly this entitled Beastboy and Cyborg's everlasting Meat vs. Veggie argument.

"No we're getting vegetarian!" Beastboy shouted at Cyborg from his end of the table.

"No we're getting the all meat experience!" Cyborg shouted back at the green changeling.

"Have you decided on what you want to order?" Butted in a familiar voice that caused Beastboy to get even more riled up.

"What are you doing here?" Beastboy asked Jasiri, who was wearing a waitress apron, a blue cap instead of her helmet and had in her hand a notepad and pen, suspiciously.

"My job." Jasiri answered like it was obvious.

"Since when?" Beastboy asked while still glaring at her.

"Since after I moved here so what would you like to eat?" Jasiri asked as she clicked her pen and looked ready to write down the order.

"MEAT/VEGGIE!" Cyborg and Beastboy shouted at once and started to argue all over again.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Jasiri asked as she cut into the argument.

"Why don't you each get your own pizzas then the rest of you can order what you want?" Jasiri suggested almost as if she was expecting to get hit just because she suggested it.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Robin mused out loud.

"We wish to have the pepper of the oni please." Starfire said as Jasiri wrote down their order.

"I'll be back in a little bit with your food." Jasiri said as she went back into the restaurant.

The moment she was inside a large explosion was heard in the direction of the bank.

"Titans GO!" Robin shouted as the teens ran/flew towards the bank not even noticing the fact that Jasiri was running in the same direction but much faster than humanly possible.

-Line Break-

"None can challenge the might of Doctor Light!" A man in a ridiculous costume shouted as he ran out the bank doors carrying two large bags.

"Dude even my jokes aren't that bad." Beastboy said as he and the rest of the Teen Titans landed in front of the stupidly dressed villain.

"Titans GO!" Robin shouted as he ignored Beastboy's extremely poor attempt at humour.

But before anyone could move a blur of gold appeared and circled around Dr Light so fast that no one could see the stupid villain. When the blur was gone Dr Light was hog-tied in ropes and the money was beside him.

"Huh?" the Titans asked in unison.

"You can thank me later." A voice said from behind them and they turned to look.

The owner of the voice turned out to be a short girl about 15 with coffee coloured skin and black hair in multiple braids. She was wearing a sleeveless gold cat-suit with black knee high boots, a black belt, a black collar and a black lion paw print on her chest; a black mask like Robin's; a pair of black fingerless gloves and a black lion paw print charm necklace.

But the most interesting thing about her was the fact she had lion ears on top of her head.

"Yo who the heck are you?!" Cyborg shouted at her.

"I go by many names but you can simply call me Safari." The girl said and in a blur of gold she was gone.

"Ok anyone else freaked out right know?" Beastboy asked as Robin handed over Dr Light to the authorities.

No one said anything as they headed back to the pizza place to get their lunch.

-Line Break-

(1)"Kijinga jinsi unaweza waache kuona wewe?" Safari muttered as she ran to the pizza place so fast no one could see her.

As soon as she was in the employee dressing room she went into a superfast spin and when she stopped Jasiri was in her place but without her hat on revealing the fact that she had lion ears. Jasiri shook her head and put on her cap and went to get the Titans' food.

At the same time as she left the room the Teen Titans walked into the pizza place still pondering who Safari was.

"Here's your food." Jasiri said as she placed the food in front of the distracted teens.

"Please New Acquaintance Jasiri join us in the feasting of the pizza." Starfire said as she pulled Jasiri into a seat.

"But I really should get back to work." Jasiri said as she looked to her boss who nodded an okay to her.

"Please just one slice?" Starfire begged her green eyes inhumanly big.

"Alright." Jasiri relented as she took a slice from Beastboy's pizza.

"You do know that's the vegan pizza right?" Cyborg asked her while looking at her like she grew a second head.

"I know, and you should know that I happen to be a vegan." Jasiri said as she took a bite out of the piece of pizza.

"Cool another vegan!" Beastboy said as his attitude toward Jasiri brightened a bit.

"New Acquaintance Jasiri I must ask whatisyourfavouritecolour? Whatisyourfullname? Wheredidyoucomefromandhowdid yougethere? Andwillyoubemyfriend?" Starfire asked so quickly Jasiri had a hard time to keep up.

"Um green, Jasiri Mnyama, South Africa, flew and sure?" Jasiri said but it sounded more like a question.

"Joy!" Starfire said as she enveloped Jasiri in a spine-shattering hug that made a trash compactor look gentle.

"Can't….breathe." Jasiri managed to choke out.

"Sorry new Friend Jasiri." Starfire said as she put her down.

"It's no problem and you can call me Jas." Jasiri said as she caught her breathe.

"Now I know where I remember you from. Your dad is Dr Nguvu Mnyama the world's leading expert in genetic modification." Robin said as she sat back down.

"Yup." Jas said as she made a move to grab another slice of pizza but was cut off by Beastboy.

They then started fighting for the slice of pizza (**Me: Think Kung Fu Panda when Po fights Shifu for the dumplings**). In the end Jasiri won.

"Ha I win!" Jasiri said as she contentedly munched on the slice of pizza.

Beastboy had his losing face on.

"You know I used to hear a voice that said

Troubles coming better stay in bed

Then I even tried to run away

Cause I didn't even know my own strength….." Jasiri's cell phone rang and before the song could continue she took the call.

(2)"Hujambo nimepata Jasiri." Jasiri said as she took the call though no one could understand her.

(3)"Hujambo baba, ndiyo nitakuwa nyumbani kwa chakula cha jioni, mimi kunyongwa nje na marafiki zangu mpya, ndiyo mimi itakuwa salama, kwaheri." Jasiri said to the other person on the phone but it sounded like gibberish to everyone else.

She hung up and turned to her new friends who were looking at her weirdly.

"Oh sorry whenever I talk to my dad on the phone we prefer to use Swahili instead of English. Yikes look at the time I have to go. See ya." Jasiri explained as she took off her apron but not before looking at her watch which was almost hidden by her bangles.

She then walked over to her manager and handed it to him. Afterwards she left and looked like she was heading home on her skate-board.

"Okay that girl gets weirder the more we know about her." Beastboy said when he recovered from his confusion.

"Actually it is quite normal for people to speak two dialects." Raven said in her usual monotone as she ate some of the pizza.

When they were done on the pizzas they went back to their tower and as usual Robin went to do more research.

-Line Break-

"Looks like we're not the only ones with powers and secrets." Robin said late at night as he read the report of Jasiri's lab accident.

The screen also showed a picture of Jasiri standing side-by-side with Safari and the words '100% match' underneath.

**Me: Oh the drama. Sorry for the short chapter but I will work on giving you longer ones. BTW Safari maybe a little bit like Terra but she's not evil in any way, shape or form.**

**Safari: That's right! I don't even like Beastboy!**

**Me muttering under my breathe: That'll change.**

**Me out loud: Well so begins another hopefully popular fic. See you all next time. Chavonnie26 GO!**

***I run to take out my little brother who is causing mayhem in my room.***

**(1)Stupid how could you let them see you?**

**(2) Hello you've got Jasiri**

**(3) Hello father, yes I will be home for dinner, I am hanging out with my new friends, yes I will be safe, goodbye.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Me: Now it's time for the latest chapter of A wild Safari. And here's where things get wild. Also thanks to MysteryAgain for reviewing and following the story and to NightmareTheHunter for following as well. Also only Robin knows Jasiri is Safari, he hasn't told anyone else because he respects her privacy.**

**Safari: Oh how I know it *Mutters stupid Slade under her breath***

**Me: Oh be quiet and do the disclaimer.**

**Safari: Chavonnie26 owns only me, my dad and the spells used by me. And I own this pie *Throws pie at Chavonnie's face and hits it with dead accuracy***

**Me while wiping pie off my face: Well played.**

**Safari bows with a devilish smirk on her face.**

-Line break-

"Baba I'm home." Jasiri said as she arrived home from her job at the pizza place the next day.

"Baba?" Jasiri asked when she didn't get a response.

'_Must be in the lab_' Jasiri thought as she put away the groceries she bought on her way home.

"Baba what do you want for –"Jasiri asked as she went into her father's lab but found it nearly completely destroyed and all her father's files everywhere.

(1)"Hii ni mbaya hii ni mbaya sana." Jasiri said as she inspected the scene more thoroughly.

Suddenly she got a pounding headache and her vision began to swim. She shook her head and exited the lab.

"Proteas. It had to be proteas." Jasiri said as she sat down and rubbed her temples.

Proteas were the only things that shorted out her powers and in large doses they were potentially deadly while in small doses they shorted out her powers for at least 24 hours. Luckily she was able to avoid them most of the time which was pretty hard since they were her home country's national flower.

"Looks like I gotta call the Titans." Jasiri said as she got up and walked toward the phone.

All scientists in the city were given the Titans number for just in case something like that happened.

After a few rings of the phone somebody picked up.

"Yo Cyborg here what's your problem?" Cyborg asked as he tried to ignore the sound of Beastboy talking.

"My dad's gone missing that's my problem!" Jasiri shouted into the phone sounding just like the worried daughter she was.

"Alright we're on our way." Cyborg said as he tried to get his hearing back.

"Thank you." Jasiri said as she almost collapsed from relief.

She hated feeling so helpless. After 10 minutes of waiting the Teen Titans were at her door.

"This way." Jasiri said as she led them to her father's lab but got a little woozy along the way.

When the Titans saw the room they were shocked at the state of disrepair it was in.

"So what happened?" Robin asked Jasiri as he went over the crime scene.

"If I knew that I would have told you on the phone. I got home from work today and he was gone and that's all I know." Jasiri said as she tried to keep herself from fainting.

"Friend Jasiri are you of the ok?" Starfire asked her when she saw that she was on the verge of fainting.

"Yeah I'm fine it's just I'm allergic to some of the chemicals in here because of an old lab accident." Jasiri lied fluidly as she swayed on her feet.

She was ashen under her coffee brown skin and looked on the verge of spilling her lunch.

"Then get out of here." Beastboy said like it was obvious and it actually was.

But as he said that Jasiri fainted.

"We better get her out of here. Beastboy, Raven take care of her. The rest of us will continue going over the crime scene." Robin told them and they went to do as they were told.

"Dude she's heavier than she looks." Beastboy complained as he half carried half dragged Jasiri to her living room and put her on the couch.

During the trip her cap came off but her lion ears weren't there.

"So how do we wake her up?" Beastboy asked Raven as he almost sat in Jasiri's dad's chair until….

"Don't sit in that chair." Jasiri shouted as she shot up like a rocket.

Beastboy was surprized at the suddenness of her outburst and ended up falling flat on his face. Jasiri tried to keep it in but she then started laughing at how ridiculous Beastboy looked. This didn't help the fact that Beastboy could barely tolerate her.

"Sorry" Jasiri said when she was done laughing, "But that's my dad's chair. No one can sit in it. No one."

"So do you have any ideas on who might have kidnapped your dad?" Raven asked Jasiri as she took a seat in mid-air.

"First off technically he's not a kid so it's not kidnapping but dadnapping. And second of all I have no clue. Ever since that lab accident my dad has told me nothing about his work. He's afraid that if he tells me more about it I'll get interested in it and have another accident but this time a lethal one." Jasiri explained using Beastboy logic at first then actual logic.

"Perfect." Raven said sarcastically in her monotone.

"Honestly I don't know why he's worried about me going into science. I'm more of a sports girl." Jasiri said as she lay back down.

"If you play sports half as well as you skate-board then I bet you're just drowning in sports scholarships." Beastboy said sarcastically as he sat down on the floor seeing as the only other chair was unavailable.

"What's your problem?! You've been hostile towards me ever since I accidently crashed into your picnic table!" Jasiri said as she sat right back up and got in Beastboy's face.

"My problem?! Dude what's your problem?! You've been nothing but hostile back?!" Beastboy shouted at her as he stood up so he was able to tower over her.

"I asked you first!" She shouted back as she also stood up so they were equal in height.

It was clear that if things didn't get diffused now it would only get worse.

"Uh Guys?" Raven tried to but in.

"You stay out of this!" They shouted at her in unison and went back to glaring at each other.

"You didn't answer my question! Or are you just too afraid to?!" Jasiri shouted at Beastboy.

"I'll answer yours if you answer mine!" Beastboy shouted at her.

"Fine!" She shouted at him.

"Fine!" He shouted at her.

By this time they were nose and nose to each other. Any closer and they might be kissing. They both realized this but neither one wanted to back down.

"Well?!" Jasiri asked while still glaring.

"You remind me of my old girlfriend who ended up betraying the team!" Beastboy shouted at her and it took every ounce of will power he had not to turn into a dinosaur and squash her.

"What?! You've been hostile to me for 3 days all because of an old relationship with a girl who looks a little like me?! I've only been hostile to you because you were hostile to me first you (2)wapumbavu mpumbavu." Jasiri shouted at him as she raised back her fist.

They then got into a very cartoonish fight in which you couldn't see the fighters because of a cloud of dust.

"Would you two quit it?!" Raven shouted at them and it caused them to stop fighting long enough to see their positions.

Jasiri was pinned underneath Beastboy and had her fist aimed at his eye while Beastboy's fist was in her mouth and his other hand was dangerously close to Jasiri's end zone.

"NO!" They shouted in unison although Jasiri's was muffled from the fist in her mouth.

They immediately started fighting again. When they were finished, Jasiri won thanks to years of training with the Sothern Transvaal Ndebele people who lived in the Kruger National Park, they found that Cyborg and Robin were making bets on who would win. Basically Robin won the bet.

"Dang it Grass Stain you just lost me 20 bucks." Cyborg complained to Beastboy who was being used as a chair by Jasiri.

"Oh boo hoo for you. Meanwhile I was just beaten by a 50 pound girl that has no battle experience!" Beastboy complained as Jasiri got off him.

"So now that we got that out of our systems care to let bygones be bygones?" Jasiri asked Beastboy as she helped him up.

"Sure why not? You've certainly proved you're nothing like her. You have a way shorter temper." Beastboy said as he shook her hand.

"Guilty as charged." Jasiri said when they let go of each other.

This caused them both to laugh.

"Okay one minute ago they were bent on ripping each other apart now they're acting like they've known each other forever? What's going on?!" Cyborg asked completely confused he even had a question mark on his head as did everyone else.

"Strange things happen under the full moon." Jasiri said vaguely and sure enough the full moon was starting to rise.

This caused another laughing fit between her and Beastboy but caused everyone else to sweat drop at how similar they were.

"Jasiri we found who took your dad." Robin said steely.

"Really who was it?" Jasiri asked as she stopped laughing.

"Slade." Robin spat out like the name was poison in his mouth.

"Are you sure?" Jasiri asked him growing extremely serious.

"Positive." Robin said while showing her a Slade bot mask that looked like a spear had gone through it.

"Baba." Jasiri said while grabbing the mask from Robin but dropped it almost immediately.

There were burn marks on her hands afterwards.

"That was weird." Beastboy said as Jasiri backed away from the mask while gripping her bangles.

(3)"Ubaya kuwa wamekwenda. Ubaya kwenda mbali. Kamwe kurudi katika nyumba hii. Kamwe kuja tena." Jasiri muttered as she traced the cravings on two of her bangles that were particularly big.

"Please don't do that." Raven said while looking mildly in pain.

(4) "Slade ni ovu na Mimi lazima kusafisha eneo lazima kuenea maovu. Samahani kama hii husababisha wewe usumbufu." Jasiri said as she took off her bangles revelling odd patterns on her forearms.

(5) "uMlimu kutupwa nje giza kutoka nyumbani yangu na nafsi yangu inaweza kutakaswa." Jasiri said while making weird signs in the air that caused Raven to grip her head in pain.

After she did this she immediately calmed down.

"Sorry. I'm a little superstitious." Jasiri said as she put back on her bangles.

"No kidding," Raven said sarcastically when the pain stopped, "Where'd you learn such a powerful spell?"

"I cannot tell you." Jasiri said while retrieving her hat.

"Shouldn't you be finding my dad?" Jasiri asked cuttingly.

It was almost as if her personality flipped.

"Well yeah but we need to make sure you're safe as well." Cyborg said as he approached her like someone might approach a bomb.

"I don't need any protection I can take care of myself." Jasiri said steely.

"You can show yourselves out." Jasiri said as she marched up to her room not even looking back at the Titans.

"Uh dude what just happened?" Beastboy asked completely lost.

"You are staying here to protect her while we track down Slade and her dad." Robin said as the Titans headed towards the door.

"You trust me to protect something?" Beastboy asked Robin like he had gone crazy.

"Not something. Someone and yes I do trust you now stay put." Robin said as he and the other Titans (Minus Beastboy) headed out to track down Slade.

"He trusts me?" Beastboy asked himself disbelievingly.

Meanwhile up in Jasiri's room she was sitting on her bed meditating on how to get her father back should the Titans fail.

(6) "Upendo wema matumaini." Jasiri repeated over and over in a monotone slightly warmer than Raven's.

"Time to go my latest apprentice." Slade said as he knocked her out.

He then dragged her out of her room in a burlap sack right under Beastboy's nose.

-Line Break-

**Me: Wow what a dramatic chapter.**

**Safari: How could you let me be captured by Slade?! The guy's a major fruitloop! And what's with leaving Beastboy to protect me?! I would have been safer with a monkey guarding me!**

**Me: Eh I wanted to make a dramatic cliff hanger and this was the best way to do it. Well until next time my readers. Chavonnie26 GO! *Runs to deal with a temperamental cast in another fic***

**(1) This is bad this is very bad**

**(2) Inconsiderate fool**

**(3) Evil be gone. Evil go away. Never come back to this house. Never come again.**

**(4) Slade is evil and I must purify the area should the evil spread. Sorry if this causes you discomfort.**

**(5) uMlimu cast out the darkness from my home and may me soul be cleansed **

**(6) Love, kindness, hope.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Me: Now it's time for the latest chapter of A wild Safari. And here's where things get a little romantic.**

**Safari: What?! How can this chapter be romantic?! I was captured by (1) dunia kubwa matunda kitanzi! How on earth is that romantic?!**

**Me: Easy when your knight in green skin comes to save you.**

**Safari: You've watched Shrek a few too many times haven't you? Plus the only green person in this story is oh no oh heck no! I am not going to date that (2) wapumbavu mpumbavu!**

**Me: Well to bad cause I'm already getting the class rings out.**

**Safari: Have you ever been bitten by a lion?**

**Me: That's a little random but no.**

**Safari while turning into a lion hybrid: Good then I get to be the first.**

**Me: *Gulp* I own only Safari, her dad and the spells she uses. And now I'm gonna run for my life. *Runs for life at speeds that surpasses the Flash* Enjoy the story! See you at the bottom.**

-Line break-

"Uh what hit me?" Jasiri asked as she woke up in a cage in a dark room.

"Well it looks like my little project has finally woken up." Came a voice from the darkness that surrounded the cage.

"Slade! Where are you, you cowardly snake? Show yourself so I can make you pay for what you did!" Jasiri shouted out as she slammed herself against the cage bars.

"Now why would I do that? And shouldn't you be thanking me? I was the one after all that gave you your powers." Slade said from the darkness.

"Ha don't make me laugh! You tried to kill me but instead made me a freak!" Jasiri said as her now caramel brown eyes slowly turned back to their normal lion yellow.

"Now I wouldn't go as far as to call you a freak but it was actually your dad's fault not mine that you're now this way." Slade said as he circled the cage while still maintaining his cover of darkness.

"Oh spare me the 'You will be my new apprentice' spiel. Heard it once never want to hear it again." Jasiri said as she tried to pin point where Slade was.

"Still as stubborn as ever I see. But perhaps I have something that could change your mind." Slade said as he stopped in front of her but still in the darkness.

"Yeah right. The day I become your apprentice is the day Cyborg willingly eats tofu." Jasiri said while rolling her eyes which were now half caramel half yellow.

"Perhaps your father might change your mind." Slade said as another cage lit up revealing Jasiri's dad.

"Baba!" Jasiri yelled as she tried to reach out to him.

"Jasiri! What are you doing here?! It's not safe!" Her dad yelled at her as he tried to reach her as well.

"Now, now Dr Mnyama. The girl is free to go so long as she becomes my apprentice and you develop for me that superpower formula you promised all those years ago." Slade said as he finally stepped into the light revealing his masked face.

"Right like I'd be an apprentice for a fruitloop like you!" Jasiri shouted as she crossed her arms defiantly.

Even though she was smaller than most people that didn't make her any less intimidating.

"And you put up with her how?" Slade whisper asked Dr Mnyama.

"You get used to it." Dr Mnyama said as he rubbed his temples.

"Joy." Slade said sarcastically as he walked up to Jasiri's cage.

"Going to let me go you big fruitloop?!" Jasiri asked him as he got closer.

"Not quite." Slade said as he shoved his hands into the cage and clipped on a collar onto Jasiri's neck.

After it was on he pressed a button on his suit and Jasiri started convulsing in pain.

"Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!" Jasiri yelled while trying to get the collar off but failing.

It was a heart-breaking scene to watch. After about a minute Slade pressed the same button on his suit and she stopped convulsing.

"That collar will make sure you do what I say. It also monitors your vital signs and your thoughts. Much more effective than a full body suit." Slade said to a panting Jasiri.

"Leave my daughter alone!" Dr Mnyama yelled as he slammed against the bars of his own cage.

"You aren't in a position to demand anything." Slade said as he pressed a button that cause Dr Mnyama's cage to disappear into the floor.

"Now are you going to be a good little apprentice or am I going to have to get rough again?" Slade asked a shivering Jasiri.

-Line Break-

"How on Earth could you lose a 15 year old girl that was locked in her own room?!" Robin yelled at Beastboy through the communicator the next day.

"Dude I'm telling you. I have no clue how she got out! It's like she just disappeared into thin air!" Beastboy said as he and the other Teen Titans searched the city for any sign of Jasiri.

"I knew I should have had Starfire watch her." Robin muttered as he rounded a corner on his R-Cycle.

"What's the big deal with her anyway? Besides having looks that match only yours truly." Beastboy asked while still using the communicator.

"I can't tell you. Only she can when she's ready." Robin said as a blur of gold appeared next to him and over took him.

"I'm sorry." Said a voice but you really had to strain to hear it.

After it said that the blur of gold threw something at the R-Cycle's wheels that deflated them and caused Robin to pitch forward and slam into a wall.

The blur stopped long enough for Robin to get a good look at the person. It was Safari except she looked like a cheetah/human hybrid, wasn't wearing her mask showing everyone she was Jasiri and she was wearing a large black collar with Slade's symbol on it. Without another word she sped off with Robin in tow. The only sign that she was ever there was the speed marks on the pavement and the trashed R-Cycle. Soon the gold blur was by Beastboy.

"Dude!" Beastboy yelled as chains were thrown around him and caught him.

Before he could blink he was in a cage with Robin then one by one the other Titans joined them.

"What just happened?" Cyborg asked when he realised he wasn't in the T-Car anymore.

"Safari just happened. But why?" Robin asked while thinking about why she would have done it.

He then saw a message that looked carved into the cage floor by an extremely sharp knife that said 'Slade has my dad. I need your help to set me and him free. Safari.'

"That explains it." Robin said as he checked to find he still had his utility belt.

Suddenly a heart wrenching scream pierced the air.

"Jasiri!" Beastboy screamed as he turned into a snake and slid out the cage, turned into a cheetah and started running towards where the scream sounded from.

When he arrived at the room he saw Jasiri in her Safari outfit but without her mask convulsing in pain and Slade was watching it like it was a pay per view movie.

"Leave her alone!" Beastboy yelled as he changed back to normal then changed into a mammoth to squash Slade like the cockroach he was.

But Slade threw something that had Beastboy also on the ground in pain.

"N-n-n-n-o-o-o-o!" Jasiri yelled as she shakily stood up but it was clear it hurt her.

"Maybe I should turn up the voltage?" Slade asked as he twisted a knob on his suit that caused the sparks playing on Jasiri's skin to grow bigger.

"NO!" Jasiri yelled as her skin took on a greenish grey quality and looked more rubbery.

What she did next shocked even Slade who knew more about her powers that she did. She redirected the electricity and hit him with it.

"Beastboy!" Jasiri yelled as she rushed to his side and picked up the device and tossed it to the other side of the room.

"Beastboy you better be alive 'cause I'll never forgive you if you aren't!" Jasiri yelled at him as she tried to wake him up.

Unknowingly she turned back to her normal self.

"You know you actually look better with those ears." Beastboy said weakly as he opened his eyes.

"Thanks and you look way better when you're not roasted." Jasiri said as she picked him up bridal style.

"This is so weird." Beastboy said as she carried him back to the Titans who were still in the cage.

"You do know that the cage wasn't locked right?" Jasiri asked them as she one-handedly opened the door.

"We knew that." Robin said while hiding the file he had in his hand.

In response Jasiri just rolled her eyes and handed a slightly crispy Beastboy to Cyborg.

"If you need me I'm going to find my dad." Jasiri said as she turned back into a cheetah/human hybrid and left in a blur of gold.

"You sure know how to pick 'em Grass Stain." Cyborg said as he kneeled down so Raven could heal his little green buddy.

"I keep telling you guys! I don't like her like that!" Beastboy shouted at Cyborg as Raven tended his wounds.

"Friend Beastboy although I am new to relationships I must say that you and Friend Jasiri would make a good match." Starfire said as she watched Raven heal Beastboy.

"Yeah right. After the way I've treated her I'm sure dating is the last thing on her mind when it comes to me." Beastboy said when he was healed.

"You never know if you don't ask." Jasiri said as she reappeared behind Beastboy with her dad.

"Although I wouldn't recommend it in front of my dad." Jasiri said as she let go of her dad's hand.

"Now Jasiri I said you couldn't date normal boys until you're 16 I never said you couldn't date a superhero before then." Dr Mnyama said as he scratched behind Jasiri's lion ears which caused her to purr.

"Really? Then Jasiri will you go on a date with me?" Beastboy asked her as he stood up and walked over to her.

"That depends. Is it going to be a normal date or a superhero date?" Jasiri asked him.

"As normal as any other teenage first date." Beastboy replied hoping that was the correct answer.

"Then yes I'll go out with you." Jasiri said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Alright Baba hold on." Jasiri said as she turned back into a cheetah hybrid except this time she had way more muscle and height on her.

She then grabbed her dad and zoomed off. When she was out of sight Beastboy promptly fell down in a faint but his usual goofy grin was plastered on his face.

"Looks like we got a new couple in the tower." Raven said as she levitated Beastboy with her magic.

A second later Robin came back with Slade in hand cuffs. Robin nodded to Raven and soon everyone was back at the tower.

-Line Break-

"Seems like Slade failed. Looks like I have to deal with this little irratation myself." A figure said in the darkness.

A dagger is soon embeded in a dart board that had Jasiri's face on it.

"Soon the world will know the might of the Black Mamba. See you soon (3)msichana wa wanyama." The figure said then cackled evily.

-Line Break-

**Me: Wow what an exciting, mysterious and romantic chapter.**

**Safari: Ok how did you know about my secret crush?**

**Me: Easy I made you so I know you inside and out.**

**Safari grumbles under breathe.**

**Me: Well I hope you all liked the latest chapter. Feel free to drop me a review if you have any queries. Chavonnie26 GO! *Runs to take out anyone who dares use her OC's without her permission***

**(1) World's Biggest Fruit Loop**

**(2) Inconsiderate Fool**

**(3) Girl of animals**


	4. Chapter 4

**Me: Now it's time for the latest chapter of A wild Safari. And here's where things get a way more romantic.**

**Safari: Ugh you with the romance. Why can't you do more action?**

**Me sarcastically: Would you like Black Mamba to ruin your date?**

**Safari with a sweat drop on her head: That won't be necessary.**

**Me: I thought so. So for all of you who love to party it's party time! *Blows noisemaker and puts on ridiculous party hat***

**Safari: What's the occasion? Ah who cares I'm always down for a party! *Slips on a puddle of spilled cool drink* I meant to do that.**

**Me sarcastically: I'm so sure.**

**Safari glares at me.**

**Me: Well enough with our pointless banter. Safari disclaimer if you please.**

**Safari: Chavonnie26 owns only me and my dad. Also look out for a special romantic song in this chapter which suits mine and Beastboy's relationship perfectly in my opinion.**

**Me muttering under my breathe: I just had to give her an ego the size of the Kruger National Park.**

**Me out loud: Enjoy the chapter and see you at the bottom.**

-Line Break-

"Dude what do you mean Jasiri quit?!" Beastboy asked the manager of the pizza place the next day.

So far the Titans couldn't find Jasiri anywhere. They tried the park, her house and now the pizza place.

"It's like I said. Her father called today and told me she quit. Too bad too because she was one of the fastest waitresses I've ever had." The manager said as he got back to work leaving behind a particularly annoyed group of teens.

"Hey guys." Said a voice from behind them.

They turned to find Jasiri standing there without her hat or mask on showing off her lions ears with pride. She was also wearing a different outfit. She was wearing a purple 3-quarter sleeve shirt, black jeans and purple converse.

"Jasiri you're ok!" Beastboy said as he ran to her and gave her a hug that would make Starfire proud.

"It's good to see you too." Jasiri chuckled out as she returned the hug.

"Friend Jasiri why were you not at your place of residence earlier today?" Starfire asked her as she and Beastboy stopped hugging.

"Easy I was at the arcade beating the high score at Mega Monkey Ninjas 5! Whoo!" Jasiri said as she pumped her fist and did a backflip.

"No way a girl beat my high score!" Cyborg yelled as he stomped across the street to the arcade.

"So should we call you Jasiri or Safari?" Robin asked her as bystanders gave her weird looks whenever one of her ears flicked or turned to catch a sound.

"Jasiri. It's less confusing." Jasiri said as the Titans finally noticed that her pupils were now like a cat's but still their normal yellow.

"Well since you help catch Slade we wanted to invite you to the party to celebrate his capture." Robin said almost as if he wanted to kiss her for helping put his long time arch-nemesis behind bars.

"Sure I'd love to but on one condition," Jasiri said as she turned to Beastboy, "I get the first slow dance."

"U-u-u-u-h-h-h-h-h o-o-o-o-k-k-k-k." Beastboy said as he blushed a new shade of green.

"Great we can go as soon as Cyborg gets back from checking the fact that my name is above his on the score board." Jasiri said as she and the Titans headed out to the T-Car.

Cyborg was already there waiting with a scowl on his face that nearly perfectly mirrored Raven's usual one.

"Let's go." Cyborg said sulkily as he got in the car.

"What's his deal?" Jasiri asked Beastboy as they got into the car with everyone else except Raven and Starfire who had decided to fly back to the Tower.

"He just can't stand the fact that you beat his high score." Beastboy said as they headed to the Tower.

"That explains it." Jasiri said as she let out a laugh that seemed like an in between of Beastboy's laugh and Starfire's giggle.

Soon they arrived at the Tower which was practically covered in streamers and party decorations.

"Wow you guys really need a new party decorator." Jasiri said as she shielded her sensitive eyes against the extremely bright colours.

"We know but don't let her hear you say that." Beastboy said to Jasiri in a whisper as Starfire landed beside them.

"Friend Jasiri do you like the decorations? I did them myself." Starfire asked her as she gestured to the extremely bright and colourful tower.

"Yeah it's great." Jasiri said with a forced smile but Starfire didn't seem to notice.

"Yo guys what you waiting for the party's inside!" A black girl with her hair in 2 big buns said from inside the doorway.

"Coming Friend Bumble Bee." Starfire said as she dragged everyone inside with her super strength.

A dance song was playing when they got inside and there was hardly any room to move the place was so packed.

"Wow you guys invited a lot of people." Jasiri said as she grabbed Beastboy's hand and started dancing with him.

By the time the slow songs were on only half the people who were originally there were left and Jasiri was still full of energy just like Beastboy.

"All right this song's for you love birds out there and will be sung by none other than our resident shining star Starfire." Cyborg said from the DJ both as Starfire came up to the make shift stage and grabbed the microphone from him.

"I wish to dedicate this song to my Friends Beastboy and Jasiri." Starfire said as the music started playing and Jasiri and Beastboy started to slow dance.

"Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly

Just a little change

Small, to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Jasiri and Beastboy." That line got a reaction from both Jasiri and Beastboy.

"Ever just the same

Ever a surprise

Ever as before

Ever just as sure

As the sun will rise

Tale as old as time

Tune as old as song

Bittersweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun

Rising in the east

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Jasiri and Beastboy." Starfire sang as the song ended causing both Jasiri and Beastboy to blush bright red/green.

"All right next up is a song  
that will make even the most hesitant of couples kiss." Cyborg said as he took back the mic from Starfire as more music started playing.

"Percussion

Strings

Winds

Words

There you see her

Dancing there across the way

She got a lot to say

And there's something about her

And you don't know why

But you're dying to try

You wanna kiss the girl." That verse caused Cyborg to get a pair of glares from the still undecided couple.

"Yes, you want her

Look at her, you know you do

It's possible she wants you, too

There is one way to ask her

It don't take a word

Not a single word

Go on and kiss the girl

Sing with me now

Sha-la-la-la-la-la

My, oh, my

Looks like the Beastboy too shy

He ain't gonna kiss the girl

Sha-la-la-la-la-la

Ain't that sad

Ain't it shame, too bad

You gonna miss the girl

Now's your moment

Dancing in the Tower

Grass Stain, you better do it soon

A kiss has quite a bit of power

She don't say a word

And she won't say a word

Until you kiss the girl." At this point Beastboy and Jasiri were nose to nose and just needed a little more of a push for both of their first kisses.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la

Don't be scared

We got the mood prepared

Go on and kiss the girl

Sha-la-la-la-la-la

Don't stop now

Don't try to hide it how

You wanna kiss the girl

Sha-la-la-la-la-la

Dance along

Listen to the song

The song say kiss the girl

Sha-la-la-la-la-la

Music play

Do what the music say

You wanna kiss the girl

You've got to kiss the girl

Why don't you kiss the girl

You gotta kiss the girl

Go on and kiss the girl." Cyborg sang as they finally kissed.

"Finally!" Nearly everyone shouted at once.

They were all sick of them flirting but the couple didn't hear them because they were too busy kissing. But this perfect scene was broken by the sound of shattering glass.

"Well, well looks like little Safari has finally got a boyfriend. Why am I not surprized that he looks like something out a fantasy book?" A woman about 19 dressed completely in black said as she crossed over the broken glass to the new couple.

"You know I've always wondered how Black Mamba venom would affect a superheroine, looks like I'm about to find out." The woman said as she slashed a dagger across Jasiri's cheek then disappeared faster than anyone could blink.

"Owww!" Jasiri yelled as she clutched her cheek in pain.

Already the poison was having an effect on her. Her skin was turning slightly green and she was barely standing on her own two feet. Everyone immediately rushed her to the Tower's infirmary. In no time she was hooked up to an assortment of machines.

"I'm sorry Grass Stain but it ain't looking good. Because of her extremely unstable DNA she's more vulnerable to poison. She might not make it." Cyborg said sadly to Beastboy who was gripping his girlfriend's hand like a vice.

She would have complained but she was in a coma.

"I don't care I'm not giving up on her. Jasiri if you can hear me please wake up." Beastboy whispered to his comatose girlfriend but his only response was her exhaling.

'_I won't give up BB, I won't.' _Jasiri thought as she fought to regain control of her limbs but it was a losing battle.

'_I won't lose you again.' _Both Beastboy and Jasiri thought in unison.

-Line Break-

**Me: Whoa that was dramatic.**

**Safari through a telepathic bond: I thought you said Black Mamba wouldn't attack during my date.**

**Me: I never said that she wouldn't attack during the party.**

**Safari still through the telepathic bond: I hate it when you're right.**

**Me: Well see you all soon with hopefully a full cast. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to write newest chapter***


	5. Chapter 5

**Me: Yet another chapter for A wild Safari. Man I need to get a new hobby but then again I just love writing too much to give it up.**

**Safari while still comatose: And how do you plan to fix this?**

**Me: Easy with some rare berries and flowers that I'm pretty sure don't exist in the real world.**

**Safari: What is it with you and drama and romance? I swear you're worse than the Twilight books.**

**Me: Don't even think about comparing me to those weak excuses for books! I mean vampires and werewolves are supposed to be scary not something you want to date!**

**Safari: Geez someone's a little testy today.**

**Me: Well you would be too if your little brother had a play date at your house and interrupted your writing a lot.**

**Safari while faking a cough: Nerd.**

**Me: Call me that again and you might not wake up again.**

**Safari while fearing for her future: Let's not be too hasty.**

**Me: Good so do the disclaimer now or else I'll make this chapter more dramatic than the last one.**

**Safari: *Gulp*Chavonnie26 owns only me, my dad and the berries and flowers. Also thanks to SkysFireLady15 for following, favouriting and reviewing this story.**

**Me: Good now on with the story. Also find the Indiana Jones reference and win having your OC in my story.**

-Line Break-

It was a dull and dismal day in Jump City. The sky was overcast and even drizzling in some places. The weather seemed to reflect the moods of the citizens perfectly. Everyone was upset that Jump's newest heroine Safari had been poisoned the day before and might not make it to see the next day. But none was more upset than a certain green changeling who never left her side since the event happened.

"Please Jasiri you've got to wake up. I, I mean, we can't live without you. Please wake up." Beastboy begged the comatose girl.

Her skin was extremely pale and her breathing was shallow. The only sign she heard him was when her ears turned to catch a sound.

"How is she?" Dr Mnyama asked Beastboy as he took a seat next to him to watch his comatose daughter.

"She hasn't made any progress." Beastboy said emotionlessly.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so keen to take on the challenge of a superpower formula then none of this would have happened." Dr Mnyama said as he stared at his shoes.

"She never told us how she got her powers maybe you could fill in the blanks?" Robin asked the doctor as he and the other Titans came into the room.

"It all started 8 years ago when she was 7. I was approached by Slade and the woman who poisoned my daughter and was asked to make a superpower formula. At first I thought they were part of the government so I agreed. After a year of experimentation and testing my formula was almost complete. It just needed 3 last ingredients to make it stable. But Slade and the woman told me that they were done waiting and that I should hand over the uncompleted formula. But I didn't. That day Jasiri had her lab accident with the formula. I thought since it was incomplete it wouldn't affect her. I guess I was wrong." Dr Mnyama said with tears in his eyes.

"Wait a minute! If we integrate those last 3 ingredients into Jasiri's system the formula will be complete and she'll have a better chance against the poison!" Cyborg said in a eureka moment.

"That's a great idea but the ingredients are very rare and can only be found deep in the jungles of Brazil, Madagascar and in the mountains of Chile." Dr Mnyama said as he started writing down what they would need to get.

"We'll need to separate into teams. Beastboy and Raven will get the Mowuso berries in Madagascar, Starfire and Cyborg will get the Nastaruna flowers in Chile and I'll get the Kislehdne berries in Brazil." Robin said as he read over the list that Dr Mnyama gave him.

"Anything to get her back." Beastboy said as he left her side for the first time since the attack.

"I'll stay here with her and monitor her vitals till you get back. Good luck and for her sake I hope you get all the ingredients we need. Otherwise it's bye bye Jasiri." Dr Mnyama said as he sent them on their way.

'_Please be careful BB' _Jasiri thought as she tried to wake up.

-With Raven and Beastboy-

"So what do these berries look like again?" Beastboy asked Raven as they walked through the jungle.

So far they had already been attacked by 2 different kinds of lemurs.

"They're supposed to look like pink hearts." Raven said as she searched the trees for them.

"Found them!" Beastboy shouted as he ran to a plant that sure enough had pink heart berries.

"Wait didn't Dr Mnyama say to approach it carefully?" Raven asked as vines snuck up behind her and Beastboy.

"Please. I eat plants like this for breakfast literally." Beastboy said as he picked the fruit and put it into the bag he was carrying.

They were then wrapped vines.

"So that was what he warned us about so uh Rae could you get us out of here?" Beastboy asked her as he tried to get out from inside the vines.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos (sp?)." Raven said as they became shrouded in black and teleported back to the tower.

"We got the berries." Beastboy said as he handed Dr Mnyama the berries and took a seat beside Jasiri.

"Great now all we need is the Nastaruna flowers and the Kislehdne berries and we're good to go." Dr Mnyama said as he added the berries to a potion he was making.

-With Starfire and Cyborg-

"Friend Cyborg have you found the flowers?" Starfire asked Cyborg as she checked the trees for the berries.

"Found 'em!" Cyborg shouted as he carefully approached a tree that had orange butterfly shaped flowers.

When he was 2 feet away from it the ground caved in. The only thing that stopped him from going splat was Starfire swooping in and saving him.

"Thanks Star." Cyborg said as she put him back on solid ground.

She then picked the flowers and they headed back to the T-Ship. When they arrived at the tower Raven and Beastboy were already there.

"We have the flowers for Friend Jasiri." Starfire said as she gave the flowers to Dr Mnyama.

"Now all we have to do is wait for Robin." Dr Mnyama said as he added the flowers to the potion.

-With Robin-

"Why did it have to be snakes? I hate snakes." Robin said as he batted them away with his bo-staff.

So far he had only been in the jungle for a few minutes and already he had been attacked by crocodiles, piranhas and now boas. Suddenly he spotted the orange and red lightning bolt shaped fruit. He quickly grabbed some and headed back to his portion of the T-Ship and flew back to the tower in record time.

"Here you go." Robin said stiffly as he felt something slither up his pants' leg.

He quickly yanked it out and it showed to be a baby boa.

"Ah snake!" Robin yelled as he tossed the snake to Starfire who tossed it out the window.

"Great it's done." Dr Mnyama said as he transferred the liquid to a syringe and gave it to Jasiri in an injection.

"Now we wait." Dr Mnyama said as he sat down to watch Jasiri who's skin became it's natural coffee brown again.

'_I can do this' _Jasiri thought as she tried to open her eyes and surprisingly they opened.

'_Ok let's try speaking'_ Jasiri thought as she opened her mouth.

"Hey guys." Jasiri said in a voice that sounded like it obviously hadn't been used in a while.

"Jasiri!" Beastboy yelled as he kissed her just happy to see she was conscious.

"It's good to see you too." Jasiri said when they parted.

"So I guess it worked." Jasiri said as she got up on her feet and did a couple stretches that should not have been possible.

"So what you got to eat that's vegan around here?" Jasiri said as she headed out the door with everyone flocking around her to make sure she didn't collapse.

When they reached the kitchen she ran to the fridge and looked inside.

"Yikes!" Jasiri yelled as her skin turned greenish grey and she shot a bolt of electricity into the fridge which caused blue fuzzy mould to rain on her and her friends.

"Eww." Everyone said in unison as they tried to get the gunk off.

"Well that was weird." Jasiri said while still sparking and accidently zapped everyone causing them to get Einstein hair.

"Oops." Jasiri said while still sparking.

"Looks like we gotta train you with your powers." Raven said as she smoothed out her hair.

"Does that mean I can't go home?" Jasiri asked as she turned back to normal.

"Unfortunately yes." Raven said as she headed to her room.

"All right I get to live with the Titans!" Jasiri said while doing a backflip.

"If that's alright with you Baba?" Jasiri asked her father as she calmed down.

"Actually I was going to suggest you move in with them. I know I can be a little over-protective but I think it's time you finally get that freedom you've been asking for," Dr Mnyama said, "If that's ok with the Titans?"

"Are you kidding we'd love to have her!" Beastboy yelled as he raced out the room to get her new room ready.

"I'll see you Saturday Baba." Jasiri said as she hugged her father good-bye.

"See you Saturday." Dr Mnyama said as he took his leave.

-Line Break-

"It seems that she survived. Pity. I guess I'll have to do it the hard way." Black Mamba said as she sharpened her daggers.

**Me: Man that was dramatic.**

**Safari: Finally I'm awake again.**

**Me: Hush you. Now remember the contest. Also I'm having another contest. Person who draws the best picture of Safari wins their OC in my story. Well I'm off. Chavonnie26 GO! *Runs to draw own picture of Safari***


	6. Chapter 6

**Me: Here's the next chapter of A wild Safari. This one is dedicated to my new story follower and reviewer Xxsnow dreamxX and my other new follower IrationalFear. Also the first person to answer correctly to the Indiana Jones reference was SkysFireLady15 good guess. Just send in your OC's info and I'll see what I can do for you. All you followers, reviewers and favouriters out there are what keep a story flowing.**

**Safari: Right, it's not just because you have a long weekend and nothing to do.**

**Me: How did you find that out?**

**Safari: Easy, I guessed little Miss No-Social-Life-What-so-ever.**

**Me while blushing: I do too have a social life.**

**Safari: Really when's the last time you went on a date or went to the movies with a friend?**

**Me: That's none of your business.**

**Safari: Oh I think it is.**

**Me while glaring at Safari: I only own Safari and her dad.**

**Safari: Hey I was supposed to say that!**

**Me: Too bad so sad. Hey I'm a poet and I didn't know it. I can make a rhyme anytime.**

**Safari: And I'm the one with bad jokes?**

**I glare at Safari and start the story.**

**Me: See you at the bottom *Gets shocked by Safari's new unstable power* Y'ouch!*Fixes Einstein hair and coughs up some smoke* **

-Line Break-

It was a calm and peaceful day at Titan's Tower. The sun had risen, the birds were starting to sing and the water that crashed against the island created a peaceful serenade. But this sense of peace was shattered when…..

"No I get to train her!" Robin shouted at Beastboy over the breakfast table.

So far Jasiri hadn't woken up which was surprizing since the daily Meat vs. Veggie war usually woke people up on the other side of the city.

"Dude she has nearly the same powers as me so I get to train her." Beastboy yelled back at Robin using actual logic for once.

"Morning guys." Came a sleepy voice from in the doorway.

Everyone looked and saw Jasiri looking as sleepy as ever. She walked over to the fridge and got out some soy milk.

"So what were you guys fighting about?" Jasiri asked as she made her breakfast.

"Who gets to train you in your new powers?" Cyborg stated as he inhaled his breakfast that mainly consisted of enough meat to feed a small village for a week.

"Well I was thinking BB could do it. I mean my powers are pretty close to his." Jasiri said as she sat down at the table next to Beastboy.

It was only then that they noticed she was wearing a red nightgown that went down past her knees, fuzzy lion slippers and that her braids now had black and gold beads on them.

"Ha I win." Beastboy said and did his victory dance.

Everyone but Jasiri groaned at that. After Beastboy was finished dancing everyone went back to eating their food.

"So do you still have your other powers or just the new electrical one?" Cyborg asked when he finished inhaling his food.

"I don't know. Let's check." Jasiri said as she turned into a lion hybrid, then a cheetah hybrid then finally a peregrine falcon hybrid.

"Looks like I still got it." Jasiri said as she flew a couple laps around the room.

When she landed she turned back to normal but her nightgown was covered in feathers and fur.

"I better go change. See you at the obstacle course." Jasiri said as she headed to her new room.

-At the obstacle course later that day-

"Wow." Was all Beastboy could say when he saw Jasiri.

She was wearing her Safari outfit without the mask or necklace.

"Do we really need to do this? All that I have a problem is my new power." Jasiri asked as she sat down on one of the rocks by the course.

Almost as if to prove her point her skin turned grey-green, her lion ears disappeared and she started sparking.

"Oops." Jasiri said as she looked like she was concentrating and she slowly turned back to normal.

Suddenly a loud alarm went off and Robin rushed out the door and shouted "TITANS TROUBLE!"

"Let's go!" Jasiri said as she turned into a peregrine falcon hybrid and started flying towards the city.

"Wait for me!" Beastboy shouted as he turned into a peregrine falcon and followed her.

When they arrived at the scene everything was turned into a candy land version of the city.

"What the?" Jasiri asked as she landed.

She then took a sniff of the air and started sneezing uncontrollably.

"Cinnamon *sneeze* I'm *sneeze* allergic *sneeze* to *sneeze* cinnamon." Jasiri managed to get out between sneezes and then let out a sneeze that sent her airborne again.

"Oh why don't you have one of my pies my dearie they'll make you feel much better." An elderly woman said as she appeared out of nowhere.

"Sorry but I'm *sneeze* allergic *sneeze* to cinnamon." Jasiri said with a sniffling nose not even knowing that the woman was the villain.

Somehow Beastboy and she were separated when she sneezed.

"Now, now little girlie this pie doesn't have cinnamon." The woman said as she tried to get Jasiri to eat the pie.

"What did you *sneeze* call me?!" Jasiri asked the woman angrily when she called her little.

"Sweetie just have one slice please?" The woman said as it was clear she was starting to get annoyed with all of Jasiri's sneezing and refusing.

"Sorry but I have to *sneeze* go. I have to find *sneeze* who did this." Jasiri said as she gestured to the candy world around them then took off.

"No one says no to Mother Mae-Eye!" The woman shouted as she zapped Jasiri with her wooden spoon.

"How is it my boyfriend's *sneeze* a green shape-shifter and *sneeze* one of my friends is a cyborg and *sneeze* another an alien yet this freaks me out?" Jasiri asked in between sneezes as she tried to get out from the spoon's spell.

Suddenly Jasiri's face lit up like she had an idea as she changed to a lion hybrid. She then let out a roar so loud that the shock waves actually did some major damage on the buildings around them and sent Mother Mae-Eye into a wall.

"Wow I didn't think that would *sneeze* work." Jasiri said as she landed on the ground when the spell was broken.

"I better get *sneeze* out of here before I *sneeze* really start reacting to the *sneeze* cinnamon." Jasiri said as she turned back into a peregrine falcon hybrid and flew back to the tower but sneezing all the way.

But little did she know, Mother Mae-Eye followed her all the way back to the tower and cast her spell on Jasiri and the Titans who returned back to the tower to search for a way to get the city back to normal.

-In the tower-

"Hey guys *sneeze* who's baking *sneeze* gingerbread *sneeze*?" Jasiri asked when she arrived back in the tower.

"Where were you? You had us and mother worried?" Cyborg said as he pointed at her with a spoon that had gingerbread on it.

Jasiri then went into a sneezing fit that made it hard for her to breathe.

"Jasiri!" Beastboy yelled as he ran over to her and took out an epipen that Jasiri kept in her pocket and injected into her.

She slowly stopped sneezing but her breathing was still ragged and she looked slightly swollen.

"Thanks." Jasiri said her voice barely a rasp.

"Please keep that away from me." Jasiri said as she backed away from Cyborg and his wooden spoon.

"Sorry I was stirring the cookie dough for mother." Cyborg said as he went back to the kitchen.

"Who?" Jasiri asked as she leaned against a wall for support.

She was shot looks of horror from the other Titans in the room. All except Starfire that is.

"How could you not know who mother is?!" Robin shouted at her as he wolfed down some pie.

"Friend Robin I also do not know who this mother you speak of is but I believe I can guess who her identity might be." Starfire said as she flew over to Jasiri to help support her weight.

"Thanks *sneeze* Star." Jasiri said under her breathe but Starfire heard it.

"So how do *sneeze* we fix them?" Jasiri asked Starfire quietly as she gestured to the boys and Raven, who were pigging out on pie, with a slight nod of her head.

"We need to remind our friends of the joys of being a teenager." Starfire told her just as quietly.

"Remind me after *sneeze* this to give you English *sneeze* lessons." Jasiri said as she slowly walked out of Starfire's support and slowly walked to Beastboy.

Jasiri then whispered something into Beastboy's pointy ear that caused him to almost faint in surprize. She then gave him a kiss and that seemed to break him out of Mother Mae-Eye's spell.

"Friend Jasiri what did you say to Friend Beastboy that caused the spell to break?" Starfire asked Jasiri when she and Beastboy approached her.

"I really don't want *sneeze* to talk about it." Jasiri said in a mumble her face a red that would put a fire truck to shame.

Starfire looked to Beastboy for answers but he was also blushing a green so deep it was almost black.

"Ok so how do we get rid *sneeze* of Mother Pain-In-My-Backside *sneeze*?" Jasiri asked as said woman came into the room.

"Ah who *sneeze* cares? LET ME AT HER!" Jasiri yelled as she turned into a tiger hybrid and charged at Mother Mae-Eye.

But Mother Mae-Eye threw some cinnamon at Jasiri that caused her to start a whole new sneezing fit.

"Jasiri!" Beastboy yelled as he turned into a mammoth and charged at Mother Mae-Eye who shrank to avoid being crushed.

"Now, now my dearies it's not nice to play rough." Mother Mae-Eye said as she grew back to her normal size.

"I hate to *sneeze* do this *sneeze* wait no *sneeze* I don't!" Jasiri said when she stopped her sneezing fit but looked worse for wear.

She then turned into an electric eel hybrid and zapped Mother Mae-Eye with as much electricity she could muster. The electricity destroyed Mother Mae-Eye's spoon and gave Mother Mae-Eye the worst case of Einstein hair that anyone in the tower had ever seen.

"Bye *sneeze* Bye." Jasiri said as Robin recovered from his daze and clipped the cuffs on Mother Mae-Eye.

As soon as the spoon was destroyed everything went back to normal except for the amount of cinnamon there was everywhere. By the time everything was cleaned up Jasiri and nearly all of the other Titans were fast asleep on the couch. Jasiri was curled up against Beastboy and Starfire was curled up against Robin. The only Titan that was still awake was Cyborg. (Raven was asleep in her room)

"Man I need to convince Bee to move into the tower." Cyborg said as he draped blankets over the two couples.

-Line Break-

"Just leave it to Old Moddie Mrs Mamba. I'll make those Titans forget they ever met." A British man with wild red hair told a figure dressed entirely in black.

"Good now get going!" the figure shouted at the man.

"Yes mam." The man said as he ran out the room.

"Soon that formula will be mine." The figure said then let loose a wild cackle.

-Line Break-

**Me: Whoa that was one heck of a chapter.**

**Safari: Seriously Mother Pain-In-My-Backside? That was hilarious! *Falls over laughing***

**Me: Well I'm glad you think so. Also remember my other contest.**

**Safari: You mean the one where the person who draws the best picture of yours truly gets their OC in this fic?**

**Me: The very one. Please send in the link in the form of a review. Well I'll see you all later. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to write new chapter***


	7. Chapter 7

**Me: Well here's another chapter of A wild Safari.**

**Safari while whining like a little kid: Why on earth are you making me and the other Titans go back to school?! I don't want to go back you can't make me!**

**Me: That's what you think. Besides school ain't that bad.**

**Safari: Are you kidding me?! It's a never ending void of soul-shattering humiliation where even the bravest souls are reverted into only husks of their former selves. *Sucks thumb and mutters 'find your happy place'***

**Me while looking at Safari weirdly: Ok that was an interesting description of what school's like. I wonder what she's gonna say when she finds out who the principal is? Oh well. Safari if you're done with your nervous breakdown could you please do the disclaimer?**

**Safari while clutching an old teddy bear to her chest: Chavonnie26 owns only me, the high school *Shudders* and nothing else.**

**Me: Well put and Hey isn't that Beastboy's teddy bear?!**

**Safari: Maybe.**

**Me while shaking my head: Let's just get on with it.**

-Line Break-

It was a calm and peaceful autumn day in Jump City. Everyone was getting ready for Halloween that weekend including the Teen Titans. So far Jasiri has been an official Titan for about a month and her relationship with Beastboy was still going strong.

"I can't wait for Halloween! All that candy." Jasiri said as she helped set up the decorations.

Most of which were ahem borrowed from Raven.

"I know so what are you going as?" Beastboy asked her as he hid his pranking supplies for when people would say trick instead of treat.

"I don't know yet but I'm thinking maybe I should go as Starfire? And you?" Jasiri asked him as she dismounted from the ladder in a way that would make an acrobat seethe with jealousy.

"I was thinking about going as Robin." Beastboy said as he whipped out a Robin costume from out of nowhere.

"Let me guess you 'borrowed' it from Robin?" Jasiri asked him while using air quotes on the word 'borrowed'.

"Maybe." Beastboy said as he hid the uniform when Robin walked by.

Suddenly a blue gas filled the room.

"What the –?" Jasiri started to ask but then fell down unconscious.

Soon all the other Titans followed.

"Sleep tight my duckies." A man with red hair, a British accent and a gas mask said as he walked over to Jasiri.

"Pity you didn't come willingly my pretty but no matter." The man said as his goons also wearing gas masks came and took her and the other Titans away.

-Line Break-

When Robin woke up he found himself in a hallway but not just any hallway. A high school hallway with lockers and everything. Suddenly he heard a lot of noise coming from the two large doors that were at the end of the hallway. He silently approached them as he took out a bird-a-rang. When he got close enough to them he kicked them open and found a sight that you only see once in a blue moon.

All the Titans were there and they were all wearing school uniforms. The girls wore a green and white checkered dress that went to the knees with a collar, brown shoes and white socks while the boys wore dark green slacks, white button down shirts and brown shoes.

Everyone was staring at him then it happened they all started laughing at him. Robin went beet red in embarrassment. They continued laughing until…

"Hey leave him alone!" Called out a voice that Robin instantly recognised.

Jasiri came stomping up to him and turned to face the crowd ready to defend him.

"He probably just got a uniform mix-up!" Jasiri shouted at the still laughing teens and that seemed to shut them up.

Jasiri was also wearing the uniform but her lion ears were still there on display and all her braids were tied up in a ponytail.

"Somebody likes the new guy." Speedy said to his friends who were obviously the populars.

"I don't now unless you want those Halloween party photos all over the internet I suggest you shut it you little prima donna chihuahua." Jasiri said as she headed back to her seat.

A chorus of 'Ohh' came from the crowd and everyone minus Robin turned to see how Speedy would react.

"Whatever he's not even worth it." Speedy said and went back to talking to his friends.

Robin just stood there shell-shocked.

'_What happened to them?_' he asked himself.

"Could the boy wonder please report to the principal's office?" Mad Mod's voice said over the intercom.

'_It just had to be him.'_ Robin thought as he stormed off to the principal's office.

When he arrived there the door said 'Mad Mod' so he knew he was in the right place. Suddenly the door opened and Robin was sucked inside. The room was completely dark except for the desk in front of Robin.

"Where are you Mod?!" Robin yelled into the darkness.

"Now, now patience my duckie. Don't you want to know what happened to your friends first?" Mod's voice said from inside the darkness.

"What did you do to them?!" Robin asked while trying to pin point where Mod was.

"A little mind control goes quite a long way. But as for you your mind is too strong for me to break into so I just left it. None of your friends remember you." Mod's voice said still from inside the darkness.

"When I get my hands on you I'll-"Robin said as he was suddenly dressed in the school uniform but still had his mask on.

"Off to class my duckie." Mod said as Robin was thrown out the room by the same force that sucked him in.

"Why did he have to pick something so tacky?" Robin asked himself as he headed back to the cafeteria.

When he arrived everyone went silent then started talking about him in whispers. From his spot in the middle of the doorway Robin could see where all his friends sat.

Jasiri was sitting on her own busy reading a book, taking down notes and drawing up plans for who knows what, all at the same time; Raven was eating lunch with Argent and Jinx; Beastboy was eating lunch with Aqualad and Kid Flash; Cyborg, who was no longer a cyborg, was eating lunch with Bumble Bee and some big looking guys who were obviously jocks; and Starfire was sitting with Speedy and the other popular kids.

Seeing that nobody would listen to him while with their new friends, Robin headed over to sit by Jasiri.

"I wouldn't sit there if I were you." Jasiri said not even looking up from her book when Robin got close to her.

"Why not?" Robin asked her as he sat down and caught a glance of her notes.

They were a bunch of equations that would take him hours just to solve but she seemed to be doing them without even trying.

"You've already embarrassed yourself enough today you don't need any more embarrassment from siting with the scholar freak." Jasiri said frankly as she drew in some more dimensions on her plans.

Robin just sat there in silence till she looked up from her book and saw he wasn't leaving. Jasiri sighed, put a bookmark in her book then put it down and gave Robin her full attention.

"Jasiri what happened to you? Why aren't you with Beastboy?" Robin asked her when he was sure she was listening.

"Ok first off how did you know my name? Second off whose Beastboy?" Jasiri asked him as her ears pressed flat against her skull.

"I know your name because you're Dr Mnyama's daughter and Beastboy's your boyfriend." Robin said as he tried to reason with her.

Jasiri let out a half snot half laugh as she went back to her plans.

"Me? Have a boyfriend? That mask might be a little too tight." Jasiri scoffed as she drew in some more details.

"It's true. There he is." Robin said as he pointed to Beastboy who was in an argument with Kid Flash about comic books.

Jasiri looked up from her plans long enough to see who Robin was pointing at then went back to work.

"His name's not Beastboy its Garfield Logan and he's not interested in me. Although I wish he was. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get this work done." Jasiri said while not even looking up from her plans.

"If you'll just listen to me my name is Robin. You know this because you're a Teen Titan, you got your lion's ears in a lab accident and you're a vegan." Robin said as he tried to get through to her.

"How do you know about the accident?" Jasiri asked in a shaky voice as she put her pencil down.

"Because you told me." Robin told her but ended up getting thrown across the cafeteria.

"Mention the accident again and you'll end up in a body bag." Jasiri said to him when she passed him on her way out.

"What you do mention her lion's ears?" Kid Flash asked him as he and Beastboy helped him up.

"Yeah I did." Robin said as he tried to figure out how such a small girl could throw him so far.

"I made the same mistake first day here. Complimented her on them ended up in the infirmary for a week." Aqualad said while shuddering at the memory.

"That bad huh?" Robin asked him as they led him to their next class.

"Oh you should have seen what she did to Stone when he insulted her on them. Ended up having to miss the playoffs because of it. Around school we call her the time bomb. You never know when she's gonna blow." Kid Flash joked as he walked backwards to face Robin.

"She's not that bad." Beastboy said as he caught a glimpse of Jasiri at her locker trying to reach the top shelf.

"Here." Beastboy said as he grabbed the book and handed it to her. (Over the month he grew a little taller than her)

"Thank you." Jasiri's voice was almost a whisper as she turned around and walked away after closing her locker.

Beastboy just watched her go then sighed.

"Dude just ask her out already." Kid Flash said as he walked up behind Beastboy.

"Yeah right. As if she'd say yes." Beastboy said looking glum.

"Well I talked to her and before I was launched she did say she kinda liked you." Robin said as they headed to the class.

"Really? Then maybe I should ask her out?" Beastboy asked as he stared at Jasiri who rounded the corner.

"Yikes look at the time we better hurry up." Beastboy said as he looked at his watch then pulled his friends around the corner and into the classroom.

Soon everyone found a seat and the seats around Jasiri were decidedly empty until Robin bravely sat in the chair next to her. This caused everyone's eyebrows to shoot up including Jasiri's.

(1)"Mjinga." Jasiri muttered under her breathe as she shook her head at Robin's actions.

Beastboy and Kid Flash took the seats in front and behind her.

(2)"Wapumbavu." Jasiri muttered under her breathe as everyone started whispering amongst themselves.

Suddenly the blackboard in the front of the classroom became a hypno-screen and everyone became hypnotised. Everyone except Robin that is. After a few minutes the screen turned off and everyone filed out of the room with Robin following Jasiri, Beastboy, Kid Flash and Aqualad.

Jasiri then split off from there and went with the other girls to what appeared to be their rooms. Robin followed her until she was at the edge of the crowd and she turned to face him.

"What are you thinking?! You have the makings of a popular yet you refuse to leave me the social poison alone! What's your angle?! What do you want from me?!" Jasiri asked him angrily as she bared her fangs and her ears pressed flat against her skull.

She was the very picture of rage.

"Look I'm trying to tell you! I'm your friend! Beastboy is your boyfriend! And you're a superhero called Safari!" Robin yelled at her getting completely riled up.

"That's it!" Jasiri yelled as she threw Robin over her shoulder into a locker.

"I'm only gonna warn you once. Keep away from me if you know what's best for you." Jasiri said as she walked away from him.

'_Man that girl's tough'_ Robin thought as he peeled himself off the locker and joined up with his friends.

-Line Break-

"Looks like my plan is working perfectly." A figure shrouded in black said as it watched Jasiri and Robin's fight on a screen.

"You wouldn't come willingly now you'll come by force." The figure said as it walked over to a grind to sharpen its daggers.

-Line Break-

**Safari: See I told you school was evil.**

**Me: Technically you said it was and I quote 'a never ending void of soul-shattering humiliation where even the bravest souls are reverted into only husks of their former selves' then sucked your thumb like a baby and had a nervous breakdown.**

**Safari: Same difference.**

**Me: How I came up with you is a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes.**

**Safari: Why thank you. Wait a minute. Hey!*Glares at me***

**Me: Well this is quite a feat. 2 Chapters in one day. I'm proud of myself so remember the contest. Chavonnie26 GO! *Runs to take out annoying little brother and her annoying brother's friend who have been bugging her all day***

**(1) Fool**

**(2) Fools**


	8. Chapter 8

**Me: Wow yet another chapter. I'm on fire. *Sees she's actually on fire from Jasiri's new power setting her pants on fire* literally. *Puts out fire with some water***

**Jasiri laughs hysterically.**

**Me: It's not funny! **

**Jasiri: Is so funny!**

**Me: I own only Jasiri. Pyra/Evelyn belongs to SkysFireLady15. Now onto the story!**

**Jasiri: Spoil sport.**

-Line Break-

"Hey Evelyn." Jasiri said when she entered her shared room.

Evelyn was a short girl with black hair with green and gold highlights. A medium skin tone and hazel eyes. She and Jasiri were best friends mainly because they both had fiery tempers and were extremely protective of each other.

"Hey Jasiri." Evelyn said as she tended her flowers.

The entire room was covered in plants. The only place that wasn't was the beds.

"Did you see that new kid today? I mean how embarrassing? What is he? Colour Blind?" Evelyn asked as the animals in the room circled around Jasiri as she sat down at her desk.

"Plus he wouldn't leave me alone." Jasiri said as she got back to designing her new invention for the science fair.

"Seriously? What a newb." Evelyn said as she prepared her own science fair project.

"Totally." Jasiri said as she made a few adjustments to her prototype.

"So word in the halls is that Gar is going to ask you out." Evelyn said as she made some adjustments on her own project.

They were the two smartest girls in school. Evelyn was the best when it came to plants and chemistry while Jasiri was the best when it came to animals and machinery.

"Ha yeah right! When that happens Stone will willingly eat tofu." Jasiri said as she took a drink from her water bottle.

"You never know." Evelyn said as she fed some raw meat to her Venus flytrap.

"Oh I know. Hey Hermes could you get my spare pencil?" Jasiri asked her pet rat.

Hermes nodded and fetched her spare pencil.

"Thanks." Jasiri told him as he crawled into her dress pocket.

Jasiri then went back to working on her project.

-With Robin, Beastboy, Aqualad and Kid Flash-

"Dude how on earth am I supposed to ask her out?! She'll kill me if I say the wrong words!" Beastboy wait correction Garfield said as he paced back and forth in front of his friends.

"Maybe you should just be yourself?" Aqualad wait correction Garth suggested to the pacing green teen.

"Dude if I be myself I'll end up in a body bag!" Garfield said as he nervously started chewing his nails.

"Give her a bouquet of roses?" Kid Flash I mean Wally suggested as he lounged on his bed.

Garfield, Garth, Wally and Robin were rooming together.

"Did you see what happened to the last guy who gave her flowers?!" Garfield asked him while slowly becoming a nervous wreck.

"Save her life? I mean girls love a knight in shining armour." Robin suggested while remembering the first time Beastboy asked Jasiri out.

"Dude if I save her life she might end mine! She hates looking weak!" Garfield said as he almost ripped out his hair.

"Maybe I'm just thinking about this too much? That's it I'll go ask her out right now." Garfield said as he headed out the door and started walking to Jasiri's room.

"I'll go and make sure he doesn't lose his nerve." Robin said as he secretly followed Garfield.

When Garfield arrived outside the door he saw that the two girls with the biggest tempers ever were rooming together. That fact made him loose almost all of his nerve but he knocked on the door anyway.

-With Jasiri-

Jasiri had finally finished her project and was ready to go to bed when a knock came from the door.

"Who could that be?" Evelyn asked as Jasiri headed to answer the door.

"Hello Garfield." Jasiri said when she opened the door and saw who it was.

"Hey Jasiri." Garfield said nervously.

"Is there a reason why you're here or are you just trying to test my patience?" Jasiri asked him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well I was wondering if you would like to go to the Halloween dance with me. But you don't have to if you don't want to." Garfield asked her quickly as he braced himself to get hit.

"What did you say?" Jasiri asked disbelievingly as she uncrossed her arms.

"Would you Jasiri Mnyama be my date for the Halloween dance?" Garfield asked her again but this time at a slightly slower pace.

"That depends. Is it a pity date or a real date?" Jasiri asked him as Hermes climbed up onto her shoulder.

"Real?" Garfield told her but it sounded more like a question.

"Pick me up at 6." Jasiri told him as she closed the door.

"Yes!" Jasiri quietly cheered as she went to bed.

"Let me guess. I'm going to see Stone eating tofu tomorrow aren't I?" Evelyn asked Jasiri when she saw a rare smile on her friend's face.

"Definitely." Jasiri said as she did a twirl.

"Better get the umbrella then." Evelyn said as she climbed into bed.

But secretly she was happy that Jasiri finally got a date. Now all she needed to do was get one herself.

-With Garfield and Robin-

"Yes!" Garfield cheered quietly to himself not even noticing Robin.

"Beastboy we need to talk." Robin told him as he confronted him.

"Dude my name is Garfield not Beastboy." Garfield said as he tried to move past Robin.

Robin then tried to explain to Beastboy who he really was and what happened to him and the other Titans. In the end Beastboy sort of believed him but still didn't get his memories back.

"So what you're saying is that me and Jasiri are a couple? Dude that is totally awesome!" Beastboy shouted when Robin finished explaining.

'_One down sort of 4 to go_' Robin thought as he made plans to talk to the others the next day.

-Line Break-

"Dude how on Earth did you get Jasiri to say yes?" Wally asked Garfield at breakfast the next day.

"The ladies can't resist the ears." Gar said as he wiggled his ears towards Jasiri who was having breakfast with Evelyn.

Suddenly Robin stood up and walked to the popular table. Jasiri shook her head at his actions thinking he wouldn't survive. Robin then started talking to Starfire but in the end got thrown back to Gar, Wally and Garth's table. But that didn't deter Robin. He then talked to Raven, Cyborg and then finally Jasiri. All of which ended extremely badly. It was a surprize he could still walk after what Jasiri put him through though.

"Man Gar you sure know how to pick 'em." Wally said as he helped Robin up.

"Says the guy who has a crush on Jinx." Gar retaliated as Wally turned redder than his hair.

"Shut up." Wally whined as Jinx walked past causing him to drool.

Suddenly someone threw a plate of meat at Jasiri and to say she was angry would be understatement of the year. But suddenly her look of rage was replaced with a look of amusement.

"Food Fight!" Jasiri shouted as she picked up her plate of tofu and threw it at Cyborg I mean Stone.

For being a geek she had a pretty good arm. As Stone wiped the tofu from his eyes he then threw some of his food at Speedy. Then it turned into a full out food war and Jasiri was surprisingly laughing the entire time.

"Dude what happened to her? 'Cause it's totally hot." Garfield asked when he saw Jasiri openly participating in the food fight.

So far she had quite a bit of food all over her and she looked more like her old self.

"Bonzai!" Jasiri yelled as she nailed Raven with some food.

Everyone was having a great time until….

"Alright my duckies whose fault is this?" Mad Mod said as he entered the cafeteria dramatically.

"Don't know don't care!" Jasiri yelled as she threw her tofu at Mod.

Everyone gasped at her actions.

"Miss Mnyama my office now!" Mod yelled as he wiped away the tofu.

"Yeah right that'll happen. Later suckers!" Jasiri said as she ran off faster than anyone would have thought her capable of.

"Get that girl!" Mod shouted as some of the students raced off to catch her.

'_Looks like Safari's back'_ Robin thought as he got some salad out of his hair.

-With Jasiri-

"How on earth did I end up here?" Jasiri asked herself when she saw she was in a locker.

"Find the girl my duckies." Mod said as the students who were chasing after Jasiri fanned out to find her.

'_That can't be good'_ Jasiri thought as she changed into a mouse hybrid and squeezed her way out the air holes in the door.

'_Ok find the other Titans then figure out what on earth is going on_' Jasiri thought as she made her way back to the cafeteria by following her nose.

'_Wait a minute *sniff* cheap hair gel *sniff* herbal tea *sniff* motor oil *sniff* meat *sniff* glorag(sp?) and *sniff* tofu. I found 'em_' Jasiri thought as she scampered into the cafeteria and saw her friends.

But she was confused to see them out of their uniforms. She shrugged her tiny shoulders and scampered up Robin's arm so she could talk to him.

"Dude there's a rat on your shoulder." Beastboy said as he pointed to Jasiri while mistaking her for Hermes.

"Hey I'm not a rat! I'm a mouse! There's a difference!" Jasiri shouted but it came out as mouse squeaks to everyone but Robin.

"Uh I gotta go see you guys." Robin said as he made a hasty exit with Jasiri clinging onto his shoulder for dear life.

Once they were out of earshot Robin entered a janitor's closet and put Jasiri on the ground where she proceeded to turn back to normal.

"Ok what is going on?! First I'm trapped in a locker then I have to squeeze through an incredibly tight hole then I find out I'm being chased and now I find you and the other Titans wearing super tacky uniforms I wouldn't wish on my own worst enemy! Wait a second I'm wearing it too!" Jasiri ranted as she finally realised what she was wearing.

"You better have an explanation for all this otherwise you're gonna end up as dog chow." Jasiri said threatingly but it was kinda offset by the food in her hair.

"Ok short version is Mad Mod captured and brainwashed everyone but me and somehow you got out from the mind control. The reason why they were chasing you is because you kinda started a food war." Robin explained to her as she slowly calmed down.

"That explains the uniforms and why I woke up in a locker but how on earth are we supposed to get the others to remember?!" Jasiri asked him as she paced back and forth.

"Wait a minute you said I started a food war right?" Jasiri asked him while continually pacing.

Robin nodded.

"The first time I experienced a food war was a few days after my accident. It was got me back to my old self. So that means all we have to do is remind our friends of what they're really like!" Jasiri said showing that beneath her joking appearance that she really was incredibly bright.

"That's brilliant but I've already tried that." Robin said as Jasiri got back her mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Then you've never done it my way." Jasiri said as she turned into her usual cheetah hybrid.

She then sped off in a blur of gold.

-Line Break-

**Me: Wow what a great chapter.**

**Safari: For once we agree on something and I can't believe you put me together with my old pen pal.**

**Me: Well I wanted to show you that I'm not all bad. Well anyway see you all soon. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to write new chapter***


	9. Chapter 9

**Me: Wow another chapter already.**

**Safari: Man you work fast. I'd hate to see you write a novel.**

**Me: Well actually I'm working on one right now if you want to *sees Safari is far from interested* but you don't care do you?**

**Safari sarcastically: How'd you know?**

**Me equally sarcastic: I had a feeling. Can we please get on with it little Miss Bring-Down-My-Self-Esteem?**

**Safari: Chavonnie26 owns only me and the high school and SkysFireLady15 owns Evelyn.**

**Me: Well put and onto the story. Sorry it's a short chapter.**

-Line Break-

All throughout the day students complained of weird winds in the hall ways and strange things happening to 5 specific people. Starfire or Kori Anders, Cyborg or Victor Stone, Beastboy or Garfield Logan, Raven or Rachel Roth and Pyra or Evelyn Evin.

"How on earth did a bat symbol get on my bed sheets?" Evelyn asked when she saw bat and R symbols everywhere she went.

"What is this food that someone left outside my door?" Kori asked as she held up a bowl of greenish goo.

"Yo what's up with all the motor oil?" Victor asked as he slipped in a puddle of motor oil for the third time that day.

"How on earth did all these books get here?" Rachel asked when she saw her room practically drowning in books from the library.

"Dude where did all these comics come from?" Garfield asked when he saw his shared room completely covered in comic books.

Little did they know that a certain hybrid was planning to get them all together so they could finally get out of that school. Suddenly all five teens were whisked away in a blur of gold and thrown into the gymnasium that was decorated for the Halloween dance.

'_Now they have to listen' _Jasiri thought as she got them all in their usual clothes and took away Cyborg's hologram ring turning him back to a proper cyborg.

"What happened?!" They all shouted in unison when they saw where they were and what they were wearing.

"I happened." Jasiri said as she appeared in front of them.

"Jasiri what are you wearing?" Evelyn asked her when she saw Jasiri wearing a gold cat suit with black accents.

"Really Pyra? Really?" Jasiri asked her obviously referring to Evelyn's new outfit.

"What did you call me?" Evelyn asked her completely confused.

"Maybe this might help?" Jasiri asked as she turned into a peregrine falcon hybrid before everyone's eyes.

And as if on cue everyone fainted.

"Well that worked." Jasiri told Robin as he came out from the shadows.

Robin just shook his head as he took a seat on the bleachers.

"So how exactly do you know Evelyn or what did you call her? Pyra?" Robin asked her as she also took a seat but on the floor.

"Me and Evelyn were pen pals. She was the closest thing I had to a best friend. When we both got our powers we were the first people to tell each other." Jasiri told him as she turned back to normal.

"So she has powers too?" Robin asked her fully intent on getting information.

"Yeah thanks to an old friend of yours and Batman's. Remember Poison Ivy?" Jasiri asked him.

"Uhhh what happened and why am I wearing my Pyra suit?" Evelyn asked as she and the others woke up with their memories restored.

"Finally now we can get out of here. I'm starting to smell of zit cream and cheap hair spray." Jasiri said as she stood up.

"You said it not me." Robin muttered under his breath.

"So how did we get here?" Raven asked Jasiri.

"Two very annoying words Mad Mod." Jasiri told her then started heading towards the principal's office.

"Follow me if you want to kick Mod's rear end all the way past Tamaran." Jasiri said in a way that made people want to follow her.

"Dear lord the world's gonna end." Pyra said as she face-palmed at Jasiri's actions.

"I know." Raven said as they followed Jasiri to the principal's office.

"On the count of three we charge. One two three!" Jasiri said as she charged into the office recklessly.

"Man that's hot!" Beastboy yelled as he and everyone else followed her into the dark office.

"Where is he argh-"Jasiri started to ask but then dropped to the ground clutching her head.

Everyone but Robin soon followed.

"My, my, my duckies. I'm impressed you all got out from my hypnosis but then again I wouldn't put it past little Miss Mnyama or should I say the scholar freak to get you all out from it." Mod said as tears started to form in Jasiri's eyes.

"Or maybe little miss nothing or mister freak got you out from it hmm?" Mod said as Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg started weeping as well.

"You leave them out of this!" Jasiri said as she tried to get up.

"Now, now my duckie I wouldn't do that if I were you." Mod said as sparks started playing on Jasiri's skin as she started screaming.

"Leave her alone!" Pyra and Beastboy shouted in unison as the started to get up but found themselves in the same position as Jasiri.

"That's it Mod!" Robin yelled as he destroyed the desk with a well-placed karate chop.

Suddenly the room started spinning until everyone was back at the tower and Mod was nowhere in sight.

"Well that hurt." Jasiri said from her hanging place on one of the light fixtures.

"Yeah." Pyra said from her own light fixture.

They both dismounted in a perfect somersault that was Olympics worthy.

"Evelyn it's good to finally see you in person." Jasiri said as she hugged Pyra.

"It's good to see you too." Pyra said as she hugged her back.

"So you're a Titan? How did that happen?" Pyra asked Jasiri when they were done hugging.

"Let's just say that you know who had a big part of it." Jasiri told Pyra as they sat down on the couch with the other exhausted Titans.

"Ohh." Pyra said as a look of understanding appeared on her face.

"So how have you been?" Jasiri asked her just like an old friend would.

The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up with each other while the others tried to sleep off the experience of the school.

"Come on you can stay the night with me." Jasiri said as she led Pyra to her room for a sleep over.

"Thanks." Pyra said as she followed Jasiri leaving the sleeping Titans on the couch behind.

"Welcome to my room." Jasiri said as the doors whooshed open.

Her room was pretty basic when it came to furniture. A desk with a chair, 2 bean bag chairs, a laptop and finally a TV with a game console. Her bed was a hammock. But the decorations were anything but basic. Her walls were painted to look like the savannah and she had fairy lights set up on the ceiling so that when she went to sleep it looked like she was watching the stars.

"Cool. Really suits you." Pyra said as a second hammock appeared out of nowhere.

"Thanks. So are you still single or can we finally go on double dates?" Jasiri asked her as she sat down on one of the bean bag chairs.

"Well I uh…." Pyra stuttered as she also took a seat.

"Relax I was joking." Jasiri told her as she stood up and got out some video games.

"So you wanna play?" Jasiri asked her while holding up a stack of video games.

"You're on." Pyra said as Jasiri set up the games.

"Friends may me and Friend Raven please join you in your sleep of the over?" Starfire asked them as she and Raven entered the room.

"There go my plans for video games but sure Star. You and Raven can totally stay." Jasiri told them as two more hammocks and two more bean bag chairs appeared again out of nowhere.

"Joyous!" Starfire squealed as she dragged Raven into the room.

That night none of them got any sleep but little did they know a certain green shape shifter eavesdropped on them the entire time as well as a certain cyborg and a certain boy wonder.

-Line Break-

"You failed Mod!" Snapped a figure in the darkness surrounding Mod.

"You didn't warn me that Jasiri was so resourceful!" Mod snapped back.

"You will get another chance but first I'll send in someone who may be able to get her to our side." The figure said as a girl dressed in purple and black stepped forward.

She was dressed just like a ninja but had a purple scarf around her neck.

"You know what to do Midnight." The figure in black told the girl.

The girl's eyes flashed red indicating she was under mind control.

"Yes master." The girl said and disappeared into the night.

"Soon she shall be mine." The figure in black said before it started to laugh evilly.

-Line Break-

**Me: Man I wouldn't want to be you right now.**

**Safari: You are the worst you know that?**

**Me: Actually that's one of the nicest insults that a character from one of my fics has ever said to me.**

**Safari: Oh great an author that's immune to criticism.**

**Me: I know isn't it great? Well I have to go. See you all in the next chapter. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Me: Man long weekends are long. I'm not even sure what day it is today.**

**Safari: It's Sunday hon.**

**Me: I know that!**

**Safari: Well it sounded like you didn't. Plus why on earth are you doing a Halloween chapter so close to Easter?**

**Me: Well duh like any kid I love Halloween with a passion! All that candy and the dressing up is fun too!**

**Safari: You do realise you're 14 right?**

**Me: And I care about my age because?**

**Safari: Too true. It's just too bad that Halloween isn't really celebrated in South Africa.**

**Me: Oh how I know it. But to compensate my parents buy enough candy to rot my teeth out during the holiday. Yet surprisingly I've only had one cavity weird right?**

**Safari: Totally wait we're getting off topic again aren't we?**

**Me: Sadly yes and thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing again. You're one of the story's biggest supporters.**

**Safari: And to wrap up this author's note here's the disclaimer. Chavonnie26 owns only me. SkysFireLady15 owns Pyra. Also this is a song filled chapter and all the songs belong to the Hex Girls.**

**Me: Well put and when exactly did we start getting along?**

**Safari: I have no idea.**

**Me: Weird but I have a strong feeling that Cyborg and Beastboy are behind it.**

**In the background Cyborg and Beastboy anxiously try to hide a machine that has the words 'Get Along With Each Other Inator' printed on the side.**

**Me: Oh well let's get on with the chapter.**

-Line Break-

"Man I love Halloween." Jasiri said while getting ready for the Teen Titan Halloween Party that night. (She was going as Starfire and already had the uniform on)

Thankfully the school fiasco only lasted two days so they were still able to celebrate what Jasiri and Beastboy called the best holiday of the year right next to Christmas that is.

"Friend Jasiri why are you wearing my uniform?" Starfire asked Jasiri as she came into the room for help with her own costume.

Raven and Pyra were already there busy getting their costumes on. Raven was going as Pyra and Pyra was going as Jasiri.

"It's for Halloween of course!" Jasiri said as she almost floated in joy from the holiday.

Or it could have been the fact that she and Beastboy somehow found their way into the candy stash for the tower.

"Did you and Beastboy get into the candy stash again?" Raven asked a hyper active Jasiri.

"Whatmakesyousaythat?" Jasiri asked Raven incredibly fast as she started bouncing off the walls as a kangaroo hybrid.

"I'll take it as a yes." Raven said as she continued reading her book.

"Friends could you help me with my costume?" Starfire asked them as she showed them one of Raven's uniforms.

"Sure," Jasiri said as she started slowing down, "I need a nap." Then fell down fast asleep into her hammock.

"15 minutes new personal record." Pyra said as she wrote it down on in a note book.

"Let's see how fast she recovers." Pyra said as Jasiri sprang up full of energy again.

"Wow 15 seconds that has to be a world record." Pyra said as she wrote it down in the same note book.

"I'm wondering if it's against the laws of physics." Raven said as she adjusted her mask.

"Let's get to work." Jasiri said as she dragged Starfire into her room.

After about an hour of work the girls finally emerged from the room. The other girl Titans had come in during which and well let's just say that Jasiri has a hard time saying no. Each girl had their own costume. Most girls were going as each other.

"Wow I hope Beastboy doesn't mistake you for me." Jasiri told Pyra as they went to the party.

"Same." Pyra said as all the girls headed out to the park where the party was being hosted.

"Whoa." Was everyone's reactions when the saw the park.

It looked like Halloween central.

"Hey BB or should I say Robin?" Jasiri asked her boyfriend when she saw him.

"Care to dance?" Beastboy/Robin asked her as a song started playing.

Everyone then split up to find their respective boyfriends/girlfriends.

"Great I'm alone at a party while my best friend dances the night away with the guy of her dreams *sigh*" Pyra said as she hung out at the punch bowl as all the couples walked by.

"Hey you must be the new Titan huh? I'm Speedy." Speedy who was dressed as Beastboy said as he introduced himself.

"Yup that's me. I'm Pyra." Pyra said as she shook his hand.

"Care to dance?" Speedy asked her as he led her to the dance floor.

"Sure." Pyra said as Jasiri, Jinx and Raven got up on the make shift stage.

"All right people we are the Hex Girls and we're gonna put a spell on you." Jinx said as she picked up a guitar and took the mike.

Jasiri was on keyboard and Raven was on drums.

"Hit it sisters!

I'm gonna cast a spell on you

You're gonna do what I want you to

Mix it up here in my little bowl

Say a few words and you lose control

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

Put a spell on you

You'll feel the fog as I cloud your mind

You'll get dizzy when I make the sign

You'll wake up in the dead of night

Missing me when I'm out of sight

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

Oh yeah

With this little cobweb potion

You'll fall into dark devotion

If you ever lose affection

I can change your whole direction

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm gonna put a spell on you

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you

We're gonna put a spell on all of you." Jinx sang as the others backed her up.

The crowd was cheering loudly afterwards including Speedy and Pyra. Jasiri discreetly nudged Jinx to look at the possible love birds and a look of understanding came on her face. Jinx nodded and whispered in Raven's ear. Raven nodded as well. Jasiri and Jinx changed instruments as Jasiri came up to the mike.

Jasiri nodded to Jinx and she started playing a haunting melody on her keyboard.

"Ooh He's such a mystery

That haunts each lonely night

I'm scared I might wake up

Cause if I should wake up

Then I'll be alone in the morning light

It's a mystery

What he does to me

Can I make him see, how I feel.

It's a mystery could he care for me

Will my fantasy ever be real?

Or will he stay a mystery

Ooh He's such a mystery

Why can't I let him know

Just how much I love him

How much I think of him

But I'm scared to tell him so...

It's a mystery

What he does to me

Can I make him see, how I feel.

It's a mystery could he care for me

Will my fantasy ever be real?

Or will he stay a mystery

It's a mystery

What he does to me

Can I make him see, how I feel.

It's a mystery could he care for me

Will my fantasy ever be real?

Or will he stay a mystery." Jasiri sung and it sounded almost surreal.

Everyone was cheering for her as she traded places with Jinx again.

"Alright this is a song that everyone here will relate to. So get ready to ride the wind and feel the fire." Jinx shouted as she started playing.

"Earth, wind, fire, and air

We may look bad

but we don't care

We ride the wind

We feel the fire,

To love the earth is our one desire

(to love the earth is our one desire)

Love the earth

It's only fair

It's one big earth

That we must share

We love the earth

With all our fire

It's in our souls

Our one desire

Earth, wind, fire, and air

We may look bad

But we don't care

We ride the wind

We feel the fire

To love the earth is our one desire

(to love the earth is our one desire)

Nature is a precious gift

It will make your spirits lift

Love the earth with all your fire

It's in your soul

Your one desire

Earth, wind, fire, and air

We may look bad

But we don't care

We ride the wind

We feel the fire

To love the earth is our one desire

To love the earth is our one desire." Jinx sang as the crowd chanted for more.

That Halloween was one for the ages. Pyra got together with Speedy thanks to a certain song and ended up being relocated to the Titans East. Jasiri (When she stopped playing) and Beastboy had to go to hospital because of all the candy they ate and everyone in general had a great time. Yes it truly was a phantastic Halloween and everyone couldn't wait for the next year.

-Line Break-

**Me while chasing Beastboy and Cyborg: Get back her with my candy stash!**

**Beastboy and Cyborg: Never! *Chomps down on some candy***

**Safari: Wait a minute didn't you put some decoy candy in there that would make anyone who ate it turn blue?**

**Me as I stop running: Yeah I did *sees both Beastboy and Cyborg are a bright blue* and I'm glad!**

**Safari: So am I *takes picture of Beastboy and Cyborg* that is so going online.**

**Me: Well I'm proud of this chapter. I got Pyra and Speedy together and got to listen to you guys play my favourite songs. I say this is a win, win. Well enough rambling and good night everybody! Chavonnie26 GO!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Me: Man I hate school.**

**Safari: Why it's not like you get any homework?**

**Me: One word boys.**

**Safari: And that's a bad thing?**

**Me: YES! They wouldn't shut it and me and the other girls in my school are out numbered about 4 to 1!**

**Safari: I repeat that's a bad thing?**

**Me: Yes it is! Why do I even bother with you? It's like talking to a brick wall.**

**Safari: Hey! I'm way smarter than a brick wall!**

**Me: Could have fooled me.**

**Safari: Why you little *gets into very cartoonish fight with the author but loses***

**Me: Man I'm stronger than I thought. Thanks to rinpup14 for reviewing, favouriting and following this story and for following and favouriting me. It really means a lot. Thanks to Aaronhardy for following this story. And a big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing as well. **

**Safari while tied up in ropes: Man lots of people like this story.**

**Me: I know and also the tenth reviewer gets their OC in the fic. And let's not forget about the drawing contest.**

**Safari: How can I? All those people drawing moi.**

**Me: Oy vey you really do have an ego so big the sun seems smaller.**

**Safari: Why thank Hey! I do not!**

**Me: Forget it and let's get on with the fic!**

**Safari: Why when I get out of these ropes I'll *is gaged by me***

**Me: Enjoy the story and onto the chapter!**

-Line Break-

It was a dark stormy night at Titans Tower and of course it was movie night. Everyone was watching Wicked Scary 5 and right now everyone was scared out of their minds.

"Ahhhh!" Jasiri screamed as she hid behind Beastboy during a particularly scary part.

Jasiri then started sparking and everyone took that as a sign to take cover. In one burst of energy Jasiri destroyed the TV and blew out the Tower's power.

"Oops." Jasiri said as she calmed down and turned back to normal.

Suddenly she felt two arms encircle her waist and she was carried away. But before she could scream she was knocked out with some proteas.

-Line Break-

"Oh my head." Jasiri said as she woke up in a cage with a pounding headache and no powers.

"Oh come on! Again?!" Jasiri asked when she saw where she was.

"Good to see you're awake." A voice that sent cold chills up and down your spine said with a slight lisp.

"Who are you?" Jasiri asked filled with fear.

"Forget me already? Shame. I believed you were smarter than that. No matter. Now I'll give you two options. First is you become my apprentice and live or you refuse and never leave this place again. Now which will it be?" The person said as she stepped into the light.

She was dressed head to toe in black and she had this aura of evil around her.

"Neither now let me out!" Jasiri yelled trying to sound braver than she felt.

"Maybe a night alone will change your mind." The woman said as she left Jasiri alone in the cage completely powerless.

-One week later-

"Eat." A girl dressed like a black and purple ninja said as she shoved a plate of food at a near malnourished Jasiri.

"Over my dead body! And with the way things are heading that might be soon!" Jasiri yelled at her as slashed at her like a wild animal.

In one week Jasiri went from a normal girl to a wild yet stubborn animal. Her clothes were more like rags and hung extremely loose on her body. You could see her ribs threw the rips in her rags.

"Suit yourself but I must ask. Why?" the ninja said as she sat cross legged in front of Jasiri on the other side of the protea infused bars that only affected Jasiri if she touched them.

"Why what?" Jasiri asked her as she sat down as well.

"Why starve yourself and keep resisting? If you agree to be her apprentice then you get to live and leave the cage but yet you stubbornly resist. Why?" the ninja asked Jasiri as she eyed her like one might eye a dangerous animal.

Jasiri laughed bitterly and said, "Why? Why do I keep my free will? Why do a starve myself rather than eat the food she touches? Why do I refuse to be that wackos apprentice? I'll tell you why! Because I know that I'm getting out of here! And I won't bow to that (1) wagonjwa mwanaharamu!"

"You are very stubborn. A good trait in a friend." The ninja said as she stood up and slashed the door open.

"You're letting me go? Why?" Jasiri asked her suspiciously as she left the cage.

"If you are able to refuse her then why not me?" the ninja asked her as she led Jasiri down the corridors while watching out for cameras and security guards.

"Thank you but I have to ask who you are." Jasiri asked her as they rounded another corner.

"I am Midnight." The ninja said simply as they finally got out from the hide out.

The hide out turned out to be a normal suburban home.

"Well that was unexpected." Jasiri said as Midnight grabbed her bridal style and headed back to the Tower.

"You do know I can walk right?" Jasiri asked Midnight when they reached the Tower.

"In your current condition it is highly unadvised." Midnight said as she gently put Jasiri down.

Jasiri mumbled something about fortune cookies and ninjas then got up off the ground and shakily walked to the front door of the Tower. But before she could knock on the door it swung open and she was tackled to the ground by a very happy and relieved Starfire and an extremely happy and relieved Beastboy.

"Watch it! Right now I'm about as delicate as porcelain!" Jasiri yelled at them as she felt one of her ribs break as well as her left arm from the force of Starfire's hug.

"Sorry Friend Jasiri. We were worried about you. We could not find you anywhere." Starfire said as she let go and saw how badly Jasiri was hurt.

"You might want to get her to the infirmary. She hasn't eaten in a week." Midnight said as she got under Jasiri's good arm and helped support what weight she had left.

"WHAT?!" Beastboy and Starfire screeched in unison as Midnight helped get Jasiri into the Tower.

"Cy we got a code 4!" Beastboy yelled as he started going into over protective mode for Jasiri.

After that it was a blur of everyone running to treat Jasiri.

"Thanks for everything guys. Especially you Midnight." Jasiri told them from her hospital bed.

Against her wishes she was in a hospital gown.

"It was no problem." Midnight said as she removed her mask for the first time since Jasiri knew her.

She had black hair that fell past her shoulders, blue eyes that could rival a glacier and skin as white as a pearl.

"You are the closest thing I have to a friend and I wish to protect you." Midnight told her as she sat down in lotus position.

"Still. You know Robin she might make a pretty good addition to Titans East." Jasiri suggested to Robin slyly.

"We'll see." Robin said simply as he carried away the very large amount of plates that previously had plenty of tofu and veggies on them.

As soon as everyone but Beastboy and Midnight left Jasiri tried to get some sleep but it was pretty hard on account of her shattered rib and fractured arm.

-With Robin and the others-

"I don't think we can trust her." Raven said stubbornly while remembering what happened with Terra.

She was like this with every new Titan. Even Jasiri.

"She did save Jasiri." Cyborg put in reluctantly.

He did not want Midnight anywhere near his Bumble Bee.

"Look we'll give her a month just like we did Jasiri. And Cyborg will put a tracking and monitoring device on her as well. If she slips up then we take her down hard and fast." Robin told them as he paced in front of them.

"Fine. One month then she's the East's problem." Raven said as she went back to her room.

Little did they know Midnight could hear them.

'_One month to gain their trust, one month till my new life can finally begin'_ Midnight thought as she adjusted Jasiri's arm so she would be more comfortable.

-Line Break-

**Me: Man I need to work on longer chapters.**

**Safari: Well at least you don't make 'em so short I could read them in less than a minute.**

**Me: True and how is it at the top we were fighting and now were getting along? Wait a minute where is my Get Along With Each Other Inator? I could have sworn I left it right here.**

**In the background Beastboy and Cyborg try to keep the hall closet door closed.**

**Safari: No clue buckaroo.**

**Me: Oh well I'm sure it'll turn up but in the mean time I have to get back to my school work.**

**Safari: You're typing this during class?**

**Me: Well yeah when else would I do it? Uh oh gotta go teacher's coming. Chavonnie26 GO! *quickly uploads chapter***

**(1) Sick b****** (This word is higher than the K rating could ever go)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Me while dancing the conga: Finalmente conseguí dos dígitos! Finalmente! (Translation: Finally I got double digits! Finally!)**

**Safari: Since when do you speak Spanish?**

**Me: Ni idea mi amigo! Me desperté esta mañana y yo sólo podía! Ahhhh, no puedo parar! Alguien me golpeó a volver a la normalidad! *Is slapped by Jasiri* Thanks I needed that. (Translation: No idea my friend! I woke up this morning and I just could! Ahhhh, I cannot stop! Someone hit me back to normal!)**

**Safari: Anytime.**

**Me: I get the feeling you like slapping me.**

**Safari: Raven has Beastboy to slap and I have you. It's the circle of pain.**

**Me: Don't you mean life?**

**Safari: Nope. So who won the tenth reviewer contest?**

**Me: Why none other than SkysFireLady15 of course. Man she's already won two of my contests.**

**Safari: Too true. So any submissions for your other contest?**

**Me: Did you really just ask me that? Of course not you completo idiota!**

**Safari: Jeez take a chill pill will ya?**

**Me: Sorry no sleep last night.**

**Safari: One word Coffee.**

**Me: If I drink that then I'll be more hyper than you and Beastboy combined.**

**Safari: Then how about decaf?**

**Me: I'd need at least 4 sugars just to be able to drink it and again sugar, caffeine and me no go.**

**Safari: Geez you'd think you were a little kid not someone who's going on 15.**

**Me: Says little Miss Damsel-In-Distress!**

**Safari: And whose fault was that?**

**Me: Yours?**

**Safari glares at me and sticks out her tongue.**

**Me: And you called me childish? Anyway let's just get on with the chapter.**

**Safari: Fine by me. Oh yeah and before we forget. Chavonnie26 owns only me and Midnight.**

-Line Break-

It was a quiet and calm day. Jasiri had just been released from the infirmary after gaining all the weight she lost back in record time considering her diet of tofu and vegetables. Midnight hadn't left her side much to the displeasure of most of the inhabitants of the Tower.

"Really Midnight I can do this on my own." Jasiri said as she played against Cyborg in Mega Monkey Ninjas 4.

So far she was winning even though she had a broken arm.

"Oh yeah bonus points!" Jasiri yelled as she beat Cyborg for the 10th time that day.

"You're cheating! I don't know how but you are!" Cyborg yelled when he got over his shock.

In his world girls did not beat him at anything. Yet she had beaten him at football, basketball, stankball and the list goes on and on. No matter what he tried Jasiri still beat him.

"If I was then wouldn't you think I would have told Beastboy how already?" Jasiri told him as she got up carefully off the couch and went to grab a soda.

"I hate it when you're right. Lucky for me it doesn't happen very often." Cyborg grumbled under his breathe while looking for a game he could beat her in.

So far her name was at the top of the high score list in each one except for…..

"Ha I challenge you to play Dance Attack!" Cyborg said as he set up the game.

The glass Jasiri was holding nearly fell out of her hand from shock.

"No." Midnight said coldly and determinedly.

She knew that in Jasiri's current state it would end in disaster.

"She's right. I can't play or have you forgotten that already?" Jasiri asked him when she calmed down a little.

"Oops sorry but moment you're better we're playing." Cyborg said and didn't leave any room for argument.

"Fine." Jasiri said reluctantly and that was what caught Cyborg's attention.

Normally she was game for just about anything. She even tried Starfire's food and that didn't end well at all.

"What? Can't dance?" Cyborg asked with a laugh until he saw Jasiri wasn't laughing.

"No I can't." Jasiri said shortly as she left the room without another word.

"You did not handle that well." Midnight said bluntly.

"Really? I didn't notice." Cyborg told her sarcastically as he put the game away.

"You do not know how to approach things delicately and also do not know how to read people on a deeper level." Midnight said as she got up from where she was meditating.

"And you're little miss social skills?" Cyborg asked her clearly annoyed with the fact she was being so frank.

"I am not. I do not have many friends because of my bluntness." Midnight said as she left the room to comfort Jasiri.

In the one day she was there they became fast friends.

"29 more days 29 more days." Cyborg chanted almost like a mantra.

He was looking forward to her leaving already and it had only been one day.

-29 days later-

"Finally she's going!" Cyborg shouted as he did the conga line with Raven, Starfire and Robin.

Jasiri was glaring at all of them. Her cast for her ribs had come off that day.

"Guys she's not that bad!" Jasiri snapped at them as she defended her new friend.

"Oh yeah? She was really nice when she ruined my glorag!" Starfire snapped at her.

After one month of English lessons with Jasiri she was already talking more like a proper teenager.

"And my utility belt!" Robin chipped in as revealed a broken utility belt.

"And my books!" Raven also contributed.

"Um actually that was me. Not a good idea to practice skate-boarding with a broken rib and arm." Jasiri told them sheepishly.

Everyone glared at her for breaking their stuff without telling them but then felt just as sheepish as her because they blamed Midnight without asking her first.

"I am ready to go." Midnight said as she came down the stairs with her suitcase full of normal clothes.

"I'm gonna miss you. Don't let anyone push you around and try not to be so blunt. Tell Pyra I said 'hi' ok?" Jasiri said as she awkwardly hugged her.

"I will Jasiri. And please tell me why do you wish for me to go to the Titans East?" Midnight asked her when they finished hugging.

"Easy. They need more girls." Jasiri said with a wide grin on her face.

"That explains it." Midnight said mirroring her grin but you couldn't see it due to her mask.

"Oh and when you see Speedy tell him he owes me 50 bucks." Jasiri said as she clapped Midnight on the back.

"I will." Midnight said with a chuckle.

"Listo para ir señorita Medianoche?" Más y Menos asked her when they arrived to pick her up. (Translation: Ready to go Miss Midnight?)

Suddenly both Más y Menos wolf whistled at Jasiri and Starfire. Jasiri promptly slapped them with her good arm when she saw what they were looking at.

"Pervertidos." Jasiri said as she considered kicking them all the way to the South Pole.

"Ignore them." Starfire whispered to Jasiri as Más grabbed Midnight's luggage as Menos grabbed Midnight.

They then sped off with Midnight.

"There goes another one." Jasiri said as she sighed deeply then walked to her room.

-Line Break-

"Blast another one over to the light side! Maybe it's time to try a different approach?" Black Mamba said as she pulled out a file that had the words 'Control Freak' on it.

"Yes he will do nicely if he uses the right movie. Time to use Jasiri's love of animals against her." Black Mamba said as she let loose an evil laugh that chilled you to the bone.

-Line Break-

**Me: What movie is she talking about? Well I know but you don't. Try and take a guess and see if you're right though I doubt it. Winner gets oh I don't know a shout out from the characters while the story's going on or something like that. Send in your guesses and see you all next time. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to watch the movie I'm talking about***


	13. Chapter 13

**Me while resting in bed: Oh my aching bones. Never again will I play paintball.**

**Jasiri: Suck it up you big baby! You only got hit three times.**

**Me: It still hurt like crazy!**

**Jasiri: Yeah I know you haven't stopped complaining about it.**

**Me: I have not!**

**Jasiri: Oh yes you have. And where did you dig this movie up? Under 6 feet of dirt?**

**Me: NO! It's a Steven Spielberg there by making it a classic! Plus it's a good movie!**

**Jasiri: Whatever you say. But why did you give the little monsters your powers?**

**Me: I didn't uh oh run they're coming! *Runs to hide in a panic room***

**Jasiri while in the panic room with me: Chavonnie26 owns only me. And for the record I hate that movie!**

**Me while shaking in fear: I'm starting to as well. Also big thanks to rinpup14 for reviewing.**

-Line Break-

Kid Flash and Jinx looked back and forth between each other, a thoroughly KOed Control Freak, and a cute little ball of brown and white fluff.

"Do we… do we kill it?" Jinx asked hesitantly.

"Oh, come on, it's so cute! It's almost as cute as you." Kid Flash said.

Jinx grinned. "I know, but it belongs in a movie. And his remote's trashed so we can't send it back. Isn't it, like, an abomination unto nature or something?"

Kid Flash shrugged. "Dunno, but I guess we can't just leave it around. Who knows what it could do to the local environment."

"Good point. D'you feel like a pet?" Jinx asked him.

"…I'm not sure I'm responsible enough to take care of another living thing," he admitted, causing his pink-headed girlfriend to laugh.

"That is so true. I mean, look how bad a job you do with me. Let's just send it to Robin and his minions. I mean, they've had a ton of encounters with this fat dweeb. I'm sure they know how to clean up after him by now." Jinx said when she finished laughing.

"If you say so," Kid Flash acquiesced with a shrug.

He expected Jinx was really suggesting it just to aggravate the other Titans, but that was fine with him. Who knew, maybe the critter would make friends with the mutant silkworm or whatever it was the main Titans team kept around. Anyway, how much harm could the thing do, on an island with so many super-powered and super-competent people?

The ball of white and brown fluff cooed and churred, dark puppy-esque eyes sparkling with complete innocence.

-Line Break-

Jasiri's wake-up call for the day was a red and yellow blur swooping in front of her bed and dropping a lump of something soft and warm on her.

"Present for you!" the familiar blur announced cheerfully, barely slowing down enough for the words to be audible. And with another whoosh that left a trail of cold air in its wake, it was off again.

Sighing and figuring she wasn't gonna get any more sleep for the day; Jasiri yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She really hated it when Kid Flash did that. They needed to get doors with real locks on them or something; the guy had no respect for privacy. Once he caught her when she was putting her cat suit and that caused him to be chased around the world by a very angry Beastboy and an extremely furious Jasiri.

Her brain went from sleepy to alert in gradual stages. First, she thought about how nice it was that Kid Flash had dropped something warm and fluffy on her this time, instead of something cold, wet and slimy, which was more often what happened. Then she realized that the warm and fluffy thing was breathing, and gave it a little pet reflexively. And then her brain woke up just enough for her to wonder if petting some unknown fuzzy blob was maybe not the best idea. At least, until she'd figured out if the thing had teeth, or tentacles, or poison stingers.

So, very carefully, she turned the thing around several times, her level of alertness increasing slightly with each rotation, until something finally clicked and she recognized what he was holding.

An ecstatic grin curled her lips.

"Dude. This is so sweeeeeeeet. It's not even my birthday or anything! Ajabu!"

The little fellah grinned back identically, except its teeth were a lot smaller and adorable-er. One ear quirked itself, draping over an eye in a vaguely pirate-ish way.

"I dub thee," Jasiri told her new pet in a solemn whisper, "Tobi Garfield Mnyama the first."

Then she bounced up, deftly caught Tobi before he fell to the floor, and ran to excitedly wake up all the other Titans without considering the consequences. Thinking about consequences was for the weak and indecisive. And those without sweet radical new pets! Plus she was sure Beastboy would be as excited as her because they both loved animals just as much. So she woke him up first. His reaction was the same as hers.

-Line Break-

"ROBIN! ROBIN! WAKE UP, ROBIN!"

Feeling a random muscle on his face twitch persistently in irritated rhythm with the sound of Beast Boy and Jasiri's fists pounding on his door, Robin climbed to his feet with a cold dignity, straightened his mask, and opened the door.

"What?" he asked with a deadpan expression and a doom and gloom voice that would have made Raven smile (or at least nod) in approval.

"BEHOLD!" Jasiri and Beastboy said in unison.

Robin mentally swore before he even focused his eyes on what Jasiri was holding up so exuberantly. Ever since the B word had been restricted to once a month per green-furred changeling and brown skinned hybrid due to their excessive usage of the word, Beast Boy and Jasiri had saved it up for only the 'coolest' of events. And Beast Boy and Jasiri's definitions of cool did not match his. Oh no, not at all. Whatever it was this time, it was definitely going to be annoying.

"Is that alive?" he asked suspiciously, peering closer at the faintly mobile ball of brown and white fluff. Suddenly a pair of eyes and tiny little hands peeked out at him, and he jumped back a little. "GAH! What is that?"

"You don't recognize it?!" Beast Boy sounded almost accusing, as if it were a crime to not know what the thing was automatically.

Robin looked closer. It was some kind of animal, clearly… a very fat lemur, maybe? With unusually large ears? And a hairless muzzle for a mouth?

"Did you steal another animal from a criminal?" It was the most obvious premise for what was currently serving as an excuse for waking him up ten minutes ahead of schedule.

"No, dude, Kid Flash gave 'im to me!" Jasiri said almost proudly.

Another thought but unspoken profanity. Some people should never be in the same room at the same time, and as far as Robin was concerned Kid Flash, Jasiri and Beast Boy were three of them.

"His name is Tobi Garfield Mnyama," Jasiri went on excitedly.

"That's nice."

"The First," she added seriously after a moment.

"Great. Are you sure it's a he?"

"It's a he," with the kind of adamant certainty Jasiri rarely employed unless she was one hundred per cent wrong about something. But Robin didn't care enough to give the creature a… exam… so he let it slide. "C'mon, I wanna show everyone else. I bet Cyborg'll know what he is, 'cause he's cool like that."

Against his better judgment, Robin followed. Mostly because he figured that since he was already up, he might as well enjoy Beast Boy and Jasiri waking everyone else up, too. What was that saying about misery and company again?

"I'm cool," Robin protested in a mildly wounded voice. "I trained with Batman! That makes me cool by default, right?"

"Naw, but your hair does," Jasiri replied absentmindedly.

"But your dorky shoes totally cancel your hair out. You should get some like mine… oh, Cyyyyyboooorrrrrrg!" Beastboy finished for her as he called for Cyborg.

Knock, knock, KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Robin grinned a little even as his teeth rattled in his mouth.

"Wakey wakey , we've got FRESH JUICY SAUSAGE WRAPPED IN DEEP-FRIED BACON!" Jasiri yelled, immediately sticking her tongue out with a gagging expression afterwards.

Cyborg was better at keeping his composure in an unexpected wake-up call than the rest of them. For one thing, Cyborg didn't get bed head. Robin envied him that a lot. But not quite enough to consider shaving himself bald.

When Cyborg didn't have a clue what the little cooing creature was any more than Robin had, Beast Boy and Jasiri stamped their little feet in outrage.

"You both suck! And I know Star and Rav don't know, 'cause it's Earth culturey. Uuuggh." Beastboy whined.

"So why don't you both tell us what your little monster is so we know whether to get it spayed, released into the wild, or frozen in carbonite?" Cyborg suggested reasonably.

Beastboy clutched Tobi protectively. "You can't do that to our little baby!"

"Wasn't Silkie yours?" Robin asked pointedly. "But now Starfire seems to doing most of the work taking care of him."

Beast Boy looked guilty. It was a low blow but a fair point to make, and a little guilt only helped his teammates be more diligent in the long run, Robin thought. Guilt was good for the soul. It kept everyone on their best behaviour.

"I spend time with him," he mumbled sulkily, gaze drifting to the ground. "I spend lotsa time with Silkie. I'm his dad, so I give him his… you know, discipline and stuff."

"Bean sprout, you couldn't discipline a dog trained to want discipline after carrying a box of discipline to you in its mouth, " Cyborg opined with condescending affection, and Robin nodded in agreement.

"Okay, fine, I'm a bad parent! Is that what you wanna hear?!" Beastboy shouted as Jasiri put her hand on his shoulder.

"You're not bad, Beast Boy, it's just-"

"And how about you learn what this little guy is before you decide whether or not I'm qualified to take care of it, huh? Is that too much to ask?" Beastboy asked them.

"No," Robin and Cyborg chorused, forced into a fight they didn't really want to be part of.

No one should argue before breakfast, even teens. It was just wrong. Almost like a sin or something. So instead of pushing the issue more, they just meekly followed Beast Boy and Jasiri into the main room while Jasiri gathered the other girls together and dragged everyone down for a proper presentation of the latest biological weirdness.

For some reason they didn't want the main lights on, which made it harder to see the critter, but even through the gloom those admittedly cute black eyes sparkled. It was like looking at a pile of fur with two marbles shoved into the middle of it, and for some reason, Robin felt a sense of foreboding, looking into Tobi's eyes.

It was too adorable, that was the problem. Nothing that cute could be safe. The whole thing reeked of a trap to lull the unwary…

Or maybe he just needed coffee.

"This," Beast Boy said with great levity, "is a mogwai."

"Mogwhat?" Raven asked after a moment of silence, being, as usual, the one to ask the obvious question.

"Mogwai." Jasiri said as she cuddled the creature to her chest.

"Mogwho?" Starfire asked, yawning sleepily.

Her brain was clearly not all awake yet, but to Robin the drowsy expression and carelessly disarrayed hair only made her look even prettier than normal.

"Mogwai," Jasiri repeated, with a lot of emphasis on the second syllable. "Kid Flash gave 'im to me, so we know he's safe!"

Without turning to look, Robin could feel Raven's eyes rolling.

"He's from those sweet Kremlin movies. Which apparently none of you heathens has ever seen!"

"Kremlin?" Robin asked, wrinkling his forehead. He had a feeling Beast Boy and Jasiri were making one of their special little mistakes again.

"Yeah, like those little creatures that sabotaged submarines in World War III!" Beastboy said that caused Jasiri to face palm.

"Not helping our cause here BB." Jasiri whispered to him.

"There were only two world wars, Beast Boy," Robin said very, very carefully, feeling a vein in his forehead throb.

He looked over at Raven in sudden sympathy. She had to go through being the sensible one to deal with Beast Boy's… Beast Boyness… and Jasiri's … Jasiriness… all the time. Being the leader, he was more used to just ordering Beast Boy and Jasiri to stop being themselves rather than trying to reason with the shapeshifters on their own level. It was almost physically painful.

"Okay, I guess it was one of the other ones, then. Anyway, they went around causing subs to crash'n stuff…"

"You're making suuuch a good case for us to keep it," Raven interjected drearily.

"I know." Jasiri said while shaking her head.

"But the kremlins aren't anything like mogwai! Mogwai are totally different! They just show up in the same movie is all." Beastboy said.

"Are you sure you don't mean gremlins?" Cyborg asked, looking like he'd been puzzled over the idea for the last few moments. "They sabotaged Bugs Bunny's plane one time."

"I saw that cartoon, they didn't look anything like that little midget guy! No way, they were kremlins, dude." Beastboy said stubbornly.

"And you date him why?" Raven asked Jasiri.

"Love is blind and also apparently deaf." Jasiri said as she looked at Beastboy the way Starfire looked at Robin.

"Alright then," Robin said, more to keep the conversation going forward than anything else. "A mogwai was in a Kremlins movie. Why don't you tell us a little more about mogwai, Beast Boy?"

So far Beastboy was doing all the explaining while Jasiri was studying the Mogwai more intently like she was planning to draw it or something.

"Well, as you can see, they're totally cute! And they're cuddly, too!" Jasiri said as she handed Tobi to Starfire, which was to Robin's mind a cursedly good tactical move.

Starfire immediately fell in love as the little beastie cuddled in her arms, for all the world like a hairy but well-behaved baby.

"Can you say 'Starfire,' Tobi? Can you? Say 'Staaaarrrfiiirrreee.'" She asked the little ball of fluff

"Stah-fi-yuh," the creature piped up with a tiny (but, of course, cute), voice, to Robin's amazement and complete dismay. Prying the thing away now was going to be incredibly hard. Where had Jasiri learnt those kinds of sadistic, sneaky psychological tactics?

Oh, wait. He'd taught the team a two hour long lesson on the psychology of the enemy last week. He slapped a hand over his face. The problem with making his team better was that it made them better at working against him, too, when they felt like it!

"The tiny mog who is wai spoke my name!" Starfire trilled, delighted out of her sleepiness, a grin lighting up her face.

She tickled Tobi's chin. "Tobi, can you speak the moniker of 'Robin?' 'Robin,' Tobi."

"Wobin!"

"Let's not get side-tracked here," Robin cut in hastily before he had to hear everyone else's name done in sickeningly cute toddler-ese. "You two still haven't told us anything about this mogwai."

"Well, they're really smart and gentle and stuff. But the most important thing are the three rules. One, don't let him near bright light after they've had a snack. And I just gave him a Skittle before I woke you guys up, so we've gotta be careful. Two, don't let him get wet before two am Eastern time." Beastboy said as Jasiri still seemed focused on Tobi.

"You've still got a finger up," Robin said after a moment of Beast Boy looking pleased with himself.

Beast Boy blinked. "Oh yeah… three… uh… oh yeah, I remember now! Three, you can't let him covet his neighbour's llama."

"That's from the Bible," Cyborg complained, then paused. "I think."

"Whatever," Beast Boy said, waving the comment aside. "So, if we keep him, he could be a real asset on missions and stuff, 'cause he could help keep the tower safe while we're on missions! 'Cause he's smart enough to use computers so he can activate the defence systems and communicate with people!"

Cyborg leaned over towards Starfire and poked Tobi's hands suspiciously. "His hands look too chubby to type with. Or paws. Whatever you wanna call 'em."

"They're totally hands." Beastboy said with certainty.

"You sure?" Cyborg asked him.

"Trust me, dude, I know these things." Beastboy said as Jasiri's eyes started to look like Tobi's

"And that's about all you know," Raven muttered.

"Why shouldn't we do those things you mentioned?" Robin asked insistently.

"Because when you do, it makes kremlins turn into mogwai and then they divide until there's like none of them left." Beastboy said like he was right about something.

Five other people were in the room besides Beast Boy. Five reasonably smart and well-educated people. Statistically, someone should have been able to understand him. But no one did, really, so no one knew what to say to get him and Jasiri to give Tobi up. And Starfire didn't even want to give him up!

"We don't know if he'll get along with Silkie." It was just about the last excuse Robin could think of that might have some sway over his excessively compassionate girlfriend (Thanks to a little meddling from Raven, Cyborg, Jasiri, Beastboy and Bumble Bee). He didn't want to make her upset again. Not because he couldn't go without any kisses for a little while, but because makeup make outs with a Tameranian were painful. He had a scar from the last hickie she'd given him!

Beast Boy and Jasiri were unphased. "So let's find out!"

They eventually found Silkie munching contentedly on a five hundred dollar piece of electronics equipment. To Robin this seemed more of a sign that they shouldn't have any pets rather than that they should add to the menagerie, but dare he try and convince Starfire of that? Noooo.

Silkie looked up at the fur blob cradled tenderly in Starfire's arms, glistening eyes going wide, and then he immediately squirmed back into a corner, not taking his eyes off the intruder.

"Oh, my little bumgorf is merely shy," Starfire mitigated the situation while Robin was busy looking significantly at Beast Boy and Jasiri who was still studying the Mogwai. "He fears that our new guest will somehow take his place in our affections! Do not worry, my sweet Silkie, you will always be our most precious family pet!"

"No matter how much I don't want you to be." Jasiri mumbled under her breath.

Silkie had eaten her skate-board and she was still angry about it.

"Silkie," Tobi said clearly. "Bumgawf." He smiled and held out a tiny hand as if to shake with Silkie.

Silkie took this as a sign to back further into the corner, looking as though he wished he could melt through the wall. Then he ate a hole out of the wall and was gone, leaving Robin sighing and mentally calculating the all too common repair expenses.

"Isn't animals bein' scared of things s'posed to be a bad sign? Like dogs barking at ghosts, and stuff." Cyborg said as Jasiri's lion ears twisted and turned as she tried to find where Silkie had gone.

"That's just movies, Cy," Beast Boy said dismissively, never mind that Tobi was apparently something from a movie.

The argument continued for some time, but ultimately, no one was willing to tell Starfire they had to put a seemingly helpless, harmless, and above all cute creature like Tobi out into the wild. Even after they got the full story out of Kid Flash through communicator, the best the Tameranian, hybrid and changeling could be haggled down to was keeping Tobi around until Raven figured out a spell to send it back to wherever it had come from originally.

If she came up with nothing, then they would find a new home for Tobi with a loving and understanding family that didn't ask too many questions about which species of lemur Tobi was. Tobi seemed amiable enough throughout the ordeal, seemingly content to cuddle up to whomever was holding him, and otherwise sit calmly and watch and listen, occasionally parroting a choice phrase from the conversation in baby talk.

He appeared to be content to eat whatever was put before him, and did so with slow, careful gestures that were a far cry from Silkie's (or even Cyborg's) sloppy eating habits. And to their delight, he was even familiar with the toilet! While not exactly a pet as such, Robin got cautiously comfortable with the idea of Tobi as a sort of quiet, tiny houseguest by time evening fell. Even Raven was won over when the little furball politely put a bookmark in one of her novels when she was done reading for the day.

As everyone headed off to bed for the night and Robin closed up shop, Tobi lingered on the couch, yawning.

"Wobin," he said suddenly, and Robin turned, mildly surprised. It was the first time Tobi had actually said something of his own volition instead of mimicking someone. Seeing that Robin was looking, Tobi went on. "Ni-ni," he piped sweetly, waving his tiny chubby fingers.

Robin grinned despite himself, waving back. "Nite nite, little guy. You be good, and try not to scare Silkie too much, okay?"

Tobi nodded genially, yawned again, and curled up into a ball, cat-like.

What a cute little thing. Robin would almost miss him when he was gone.

-Line Break-

**Me while still in the panic room: Man oh man was that a long chapter. And if you're wondering why myself and Jasiri are still hiding is because it ain't over yet. Not by a long shot.**

**Jasiri: I know and a little help with the barricade please. They're starting to get through the security system! *Puts more stuff in a pile in front of the door***

**Me while helping Jasiri: Also I gave you guys plenty of hints in the story so first person to tell me the correct movie wins an OC in this fic. I know most of my prizes are OC's but hey it's the best I got. Well I gotta go deal with this problem. See ya. Chavonnie26 GO! *Pulls up another old chapter and starts to edit it for the next chapter***


	14. Chapter 14

**Me while still hiding in the panic room: We need more stuff to barricade the doors. Let's move it people. The monsters are coming! The monsters are coming!**

**Beastboy: Can't you use your powers?!**

**Me: If I could wouldn't think I would have by now?! Wait a minute I got it! *Starts to glow as bright as the sun* Charge! *Crashes through the barricade and gets rid of problem* Finally! They're gone!**

**Jasiri: Well at least we can relax and enjoy the chapter. Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing and you were right! Never trust anything that cute!**

**Me: Well put and I only own Jasiri.**

-Line Break-

The next morning, Raven woke up to find her room completely infested with tiny maniacal green scaly monsters.

"I knew anything that cute had to be pure evil," she said calmly into one cackling hideous face. "I knew it."

Never mind that she had been lulled into relaxation the previous day, just like everyone else. Never mind that there was not, as of yet, a concrete connection between the monsters and the creature. Never mind that Starfire had been more of a force for keeping that thing than Beast Boy and Jasiri had been. Never mind that Kid Flash had given Jasiri the creature, and never mind that Jinx had been the one with the idea to give them the creature in the first place. No, all this was irrelevant to Raven, because she took great comfort in the familiar old foundation fact: this was all Beast Boy and Jasiri's fault. And knowing that was the only reason she wasn't completely freaking out right now, because those monsters were eating her books!

"You have until the count of three," she told them coldly because even book-destroying monsters deserved a little warning before being annihilated by darkest magic. "One."

One of the monsters turned and raspberried its tongue at her, bits of shredded Byron wafting through the air.

She shrugged. Fine. If they wanted to be rude about it….

"Three."

And then she telekinetically opened her door and launched the half dozen midget reptiles through it with such force that some of them left a few scales and a pale green paste on the frame. Their shrieks were something between a human scream and a piggish squeal.

She slammed the door shut behind them and reached for her communicator, only to find it wasn't in its usual resting place. It took her a moment of searching to notice all the bits of metal and yellow plastic scattered around the floor, reduced to tiny warped shards and splinters.

Great. Oh well, there was always telepathy….

"Azarath, Metrion… OW!"

Reeling in half-blind pain, she caught herself on the edge of her bed before she fell, skull throbbing. Trying to reach through the tower into the mind of Robin had been like walking into the middle of the loudest rock concert ever from a dead-silent room. There were so many minds... all chaotic and savagely emotional, worse than Beast Boy and Jasiri's combined, like a spoiled child with the instincts of a large predator.

Beyond that, they just felt different in a way no other mind had felt other than Tobi's… a peculiar flavouring tinge that had been mildly unpleasant, like vertigo, in Tobi but was amplified by the quantity and lack of discipline she was now sensing.

They didn't belong here, any more than Tobi did… not in this tower, not in this city, not in this universe. All her mental senses were screaming at her at the sheer wrongness of it, the out of placeness of it, and she couldn't focus past it all to get to Robin.

This was bad. If there were so many of those tiny humanoid reptiles all around the tower, then it was a serious threat. Any one of them was hardly dangerous, but in large numbers… she had seen those sharp claws, the pointy teeth, the muscles rippling beneath black, green and tan skin. They weren't harmless like Tobi. And was even Tobi harmless? There was so much they didn't know!

There was a loud THUD, followed by a multitude of tiny demonic giggling.

Raven blinked and looked over at the door.

THUD. Giggle, giggle, giggle.

The door was denting inwards. Alarmed, she shielded herself with dark energy, wishing she had some proper projectiles… there was no way she was damaging more of her books! Her poor, poor sweet mutilated books.

THUD. Giggle, giggle….

Smirking, she opened the door with a flick of her hand, and watched as nine of the monsters charged inwards full force, falling all over each other in confusion. She wondered where they had found a Medieval style wooden battering ram, scaled down precisely to their size. It was uncanny.

"I don't care what you are or what you can do. You're not eating the rest of my books," she told them grimly, ready to make a first and last stand with her room as her Sparta.

With a grin creasing its wrinkled, pointy face, the monster furthest back slowly deliberately stretched a viciously-curved claw towards a book fallen askew on the floor. Its orange-red eyes seemed to dare her to do something about it as the claw inched closer and closer.

"If you touch that you're going to be in big trouble," she warned it.

Like a child mocking a parent, it only tapped the cover of the book quickly. Seeing that she wasn't causing him to burst into flames or anything from the offense, he cackled and tapped it again, and again, in quick succession.

"Why you little…" she snarled, floating closer, hands raised and charged with magic to teach it a lesson.

As soon as she got close, though, the others darted off and spread out around the room. Whirling frantically, she watched in bibliophilic agony as some of the monsters started ripping out pages and making origami. Sexually explicit origami.

"JUST BECAUSE CHARLES DICKENS WROTE THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN TURN IT INTO A… WHAT YOU'RE TURNING IT INTO!" she snarled, outraged, grabbing one of the nearest offenders by the neck with a band of telekinesis and squeezing until it coughed, gasped and drooled. Then she flung it aside heartlessly and made a grab for another one.

But whenever she targeted a single monster, the rest busied themselves messing with her things! They got bored with the books eventually, but that was bad, because that meant they started getting interested in poking around her magical reagents and tools and priceless artefacts. One of them looked into her mirror and somehow the reflection cracked it! The monster only laughed merrily.

So thoroughly enraged by the destruction of her haven was Raven that it was quite some time before she thought to check on the others….

-Line Break-

Starfire was more concerned about her friends than her possessions, and floated the hallways close to the ceiling, throwing starbolts at anything small and cackly that moved. Unfortunately they were good at dodging, and also, she soon learned, at leading her around in circles. Precious minutes were wasted chasing after the strange unpleasant green creatures before she realized that they were small, quick, and destructive enough to hide pretty much anywhere and then pop out from somewhere else.

They used the interior walling as much as the actual hallways, and she heard the skitter of scaly clawed little feet all around, left and right, front and behind, above and below. There were so many of them! Why had the alarm not gone off? What had happened to their defences Cyborg spent so much effort on?

That was another thing she learned not quite as quickly as she would have liked. Nothing mechanical seemed to stay unharmed around the beasts for more than a few seconds. They found ways to rewire, jam, gunk up, and otherwise hinder both the sturdiest and largest, and most delicate and tiny of machinery and electronics, always to destructive and generally explosive ends.

Her one comfort was that for all their mischief and wicked laughter, they could not harm her; Tameranian endurance vastly outclassed their ability to cause injury. They realized this themselves, of course, which led to the diversionary, time-wasting, aggravating tactics they employed against her. She was reduced to watching them destroy her home around her, and forcing them to flee… only so that they would renew their efforts in another section of the tower. She couldn't be everywhere at once!

After traversing several floors, she came across two monsters who were not familiar enough with her to run. They seemed to be very… occupied with what they were doing. Staring with initial confusion turning rapidly into horror, she noted the tiny but familiar costumes on them… a tiny Robin costume and a tiny her costume, sized just right for the two monsters!

And though their attempts at speech with each other were all but unintelligible to her, the tones and especially the gestures used were familiar enough. They appeared to be… courting one another! Their ears perked and red eyes turned in her direction once they realized she was watching, and then they renewed their efforts, even more dramatic and passionate. Only their actions were extremely impolite, almost insulting, Starfire felt!

"That is not how a Tameranian princess woos her friend who is a boy," she objected angrily as the Starfire-monster started licking around the edges of Robin-monster's mask suggestively, tongue wiggling like a snake. It only got worse from there, and Starfire's cheeks went red.

"I would never do that with Robin! ...unless there was a great deal of the chocolate and perhaps a non-synthetic diamond involved," she added thoughtfully after a moment.

Then she cringed at how it progressed further, into vulgarity so low… she had never even thought of such things before! How dare they! She floated down to the floor just to stomp a foot in anger, unintentionally leaving a small hole in the metal.

"I demand you cease this inaccurate and dishonourable display of physical affection between myself and my friend who is a boy immediately, little green monster creature people!"

The two stopped, peering at her contemplatively. Then the Starfire-monster shrugged with a quacking croak, and with the most casual gestures, tore the mask off of Robin-monster… along with about half the Robin-monster's face and its eyes. Robin-monster screamed in agony, and Starfire screamed in sympathy, and Starfire-monster just laughed and triumphantly held up the mask dripping with green gunk, eyes glued to the eyeholes by gore. Starfire-monster handed her the obscene trophy and then trotted off, jumping over its former partner and skipping off into the distance, giggling shrilly.

Horrified and feeling awful for the mutilated thing, Starfire gently tried to put the mask and the accompanying half-face back onto the Robin-monster, not knowing what else to do, but the monster writhed and shrieked too much.

"Please hold still, fake monster Robin!" she cried desperately, trying not to hyperventilate. The green stuff was getting all over her. "You must let me help you so we can put your face back and then friend Cyborg will stitch you together again, I do hope!"

Suddenly, a long metal pole smashed through the ceiling and directly onto the maimed monster's head, crushed it thoroughly. With a shriek, Starfire jumped back, flinging a starbolt instinctively as a small dark shape slid down the pole. The shape whirled, dodging the bolt easily, landing just in front of the now dead Robin-monster in a dramatic pose.

It was another one of the monsters, this one in a monster-sized Slade outfit. Starfire gawked.

"Dun dun DUN dun dun dunnnnnn," the monster said, the sound muffled through the mask but still intelligible. Then it tried to scratch its head, realized the mask was in the way, and half-pulled the mask off to scratch properly with one arched claw.

Starfire used that moment of distraction to shoot dual beams of energy from her eyes straight into the thing's chest, and watched it fly howling down the hallway with a warrior's grim satisfaction. Then a little monster dressed like Terra scampered by, following after the Slade-monster and making exaggerated sobbing sounds that were interrupted constantly by its poorly restrained giggles.

Then a monster dressed just like Jasiri, with her ears and everything, ran after her waving it's fist in the air while shouted what could only be assumed to be swear words.

She stared after the scene in dismay and bemusement. Never before had she encountered an enemy like this. What manner of strange abominations were these creatures?

-Line Break-

As fate would have it, the member of the team most affected by the invaders was the one to come into contact with Beast Boy and Jasiri first. Little monsters clinging to him from every possible inch of metal and skin didn't keep Cyborg from yelling at Beast Boy and Jasiri while they helped him get uninfested.

"You tofu brains, you were talking about gremlins, not kremlins! From the movie Gremlins!" Cyborg yelled extremely loudly.

"It was an honest mistake dude! Now hold still, I'm gonna bite the one on your butt off with saber tooth tiger fangs." Beastboy said as Jasiri battled the gremlins around them.

Wincing, Cyborg held still and trusted Beast Boy, something he would ordinarily never do, but desperate times called for desperate measures. One chomp later he only had five gremlins left clinging to him and doing their level best to mess with every piece of circuitry and wiring he had going on.

"And you're not s'posed t'let mogwai eat after midnight 'cause they turn into gremlins, or let mogwai or gremlins get wet ever 'cause they multiply that way, or let them get into bright light 'cause it kills 'em!" Cyborg continued to yell, venting frustration.

Everywhere he turned, some personal piece of work of his very own two manly metal man hands was being destroyed now.

"We could've prevented all this if you two had the memory of a green bean casserole!" Cyborg yelled in frustration.

"That was cold even for you." Jasiri said as she swiped at the gremlins with her tiger claws.

"I'm sorry, dude, please forgive me! How did you find out all that stuff, anyway?!" Beast Boy went orang-utan to grapple with the gremlin clinging to Cyborg's neck. The gremlin lost, and went flying with a scream that sounded suspiciously like 'Have mercyyyyyy!'

"I spent ten minutes on the Internet Movie Database site while fighting for my life, that's how!" It had been the most frantic internet surfing of Cyborg's whole life. Thank God he'd had the site bookmarked or he might not even be here right now!

"Dude, dude! I've got it! If light kills 'em, why don't we just undo the defensive lockdown thingy and let light come in from all the windows?! Or turn all the lights on inside really high?!" Beastboy suggested as the hallway was almost cleared of gremlins.

"They ate the lighting system and its three backup systems," Cyborg grumbled, plucking a shin-gnawing gremlin off him and blasting it away with his sonic cannon. "Along with all the other stuff of mine they've ruined! I guess I could override the lockdown, but I'd need Robin's authorization at the console!"

"So let's go find Rob!" Beast Boy grunted before turning into an armadillo, curling into a ball, and rolling himself around, knocking gremlins all over like bowling pins in moon gravity.

Finally, the area was more or less clear, although there was still a lot of creepy reptilian giggling in the distance.

Beast Boy wiped his sweaty forehead fur, panting. "I hope the others're okay. And Silkie. And Tobi."

Cyborg gazed at his best but not entirely sane friend incredulously. "Are you crazy, man? Tobi's one a' them!"

"Even I know that." Jasiri said as she wiped her forehead.

"No way! Tobi's nothing like them! He's polite and cuddly and nice!" Beastboy protested.

"He was fooling us, man, face it." Cyborg said as Jasiri nodded in agreement.

"No way," Beast Boy insisted stubbornly. "I won't believe it till I see it."

Cyborg hoped his buddy wouldn't be let down in the rudest way possible, but given the sense of humour the gremlins seemed to have, it seemed pretty likely.

And then a screaming Robin ran past them, and Cyborg, for one, was not at all surprised. He charged up his cannon, and waited patiently for a horde of monstrosities to roll into view for target practice. There had to be a ton of them, if Rob was fleeing, but fortunately the sonic cannon had a wide dispersal setting for just such target rich environmental occasions. But Jasiri wasn't taking any chances, since she could hear explosions in the distance, so she ran as fast as she could while forgetting about her powers in her fear.

"Retreat! They have all my explosives!" Robin's voice drifted urgently to them from further along the hall.

Cyborg paused and thought it over. "Did he say all his explosives?" he asked Beast Boy, wanting to make sure he'd heard that right.

"Yeah. How many does he have, anyway?" Beastboy asked as he slowly got the feeling his girlfriend had the right idea to run.

And then they got to find out first-hand, as dozens of gremlins swarmed into view, cackling and throwing lots and lots of ominously beeping devices.

"Oh fudgesicles," Cyborg said, and then decided that Robin and Jasiri had had the right idea.

Noisy explosions followed behind them, along with the demonic giggling of reptilian midgets, but they didn't stop, they didn't slow, and above all else they didn't look back. Every explosion made Cyborg wince in sympathy with the sound of crumpling architecture. But buildings could be rebuilt. Beast Boy, Jasiri and Rob couldn't, and if the explosions took off the wrong half of his head he was as much a goner as any fleshy person would be.

Without warning, a hand yanked him into a cubicle. Startled, he almost fired, but relaxed when he realized it was just Robin, hiding with Beast Boy and Jasiri in a shady spot. It seemed to work; the smoke from the constantly applied explosives was enough to distract the gremlins from seeing that their prey had stopped, and the mob of green just swept past them.

"So what's the plan?" Cyborg whispered to their tactical foundation while patting himself all over to make sure everything was still there.

"We need Raven to get my weapons away from them," Robin said grimly. "It's either that, or just wait until the they use it all up. I've tried contacting her but they stole everything electronic in sight. Do either of you have intact communicators?"

Three glum headshakes answered that question.

"Man, you're lucky I'm even here right now, Rob. These things're gremlins... you know, like the kind that supposedly messed with planes in World War II? These guys'll mess with anything with a spark in it. But I think I know how we can get rid of 'em." Cyborg said as he planned his revenge.

"I'm totally open to suggestions right now," said Robin, who was looking almost naked without his utility belt or staff.

"These're the gremlins from that movie BB and Jas got all wrong-" Cyborg started.

"We said we were sorry!" Beastboy and Jasiri said in unison.

"-and they're highly allergic to sunlight. As in, it melts them into goo. Now, the tower's on lockdown status right now, but if you can give your authorization for overriding it at the terminal, we'll be able to let sunlight stream in from all the windows. There'll still prolly be a few hiding in dark places, like the basement, but they'll be contained that way, so we can squish 'em." Personally Cyborg hoped there wouldn't be many in the basement. It was scary down there.

Robin frowned. "Should we be seriously considering killing them all? I know it looks like an out of control epidemic from inside the tower, but they are contained inside the building as far as the rest of the world's concerned. And I'm not sure if massacring them all is really a humane solution, even if they are horrible little creatures that don't belong in this universe."

"Killing monsters doesn't count as killing, dude," Beast Boy said like it was an obvious fact of life, the same as gravity.

"They're monsters. What would you do with Dracula if you didn't wanna pound a slice of nasty meat through his heart?" Jasiri asked as she continued on Beastboy's train of thought.

"Not that kind of steak, little guys," Cyborg corrected his buddies absentmindedly. "But you've got a point. I mean, what else are we s'posed to do with 'em? Raven wasn't even sure she could send one furry little helpless puffball home. I think askin' her to teleport a whole army of uncooperative hostiles is a bit outta her league."

"I know, but still-" Robin went on.

A gremlin dressed, weirdly enough, in a gremlin-sized Starfire costume peeked in, smooched Robin on the lips (leaving a cartoonishly huge lipstick stain), and then ran off, teeheeing in a grotesquely effeminate way. Robin froze, mouth and eyes both wide with horror.

"Did... did that one just..." he stuttered.

Beast Boy, Jasiri and Cyborg all nodded silently, equally disturbed. Jasiri was even looking a little green.

"And... and in Starfire's..."

They nodded some more.

As if to serve as a final reminder so the horrible event could never, ever be burned from their memories, the Starfire-gremlin ran back, somehow ripped off its underwear without taking the shorts off or destroying the underwear itself, and tossed it on Robin's face, where it draped itself crookedly. And that was how they all learned about the Tameranian equivalent of a thong. That time Jasiri actually did throw up.

This time, the gremlin exited by ripping a hole in the wall and skittering inwards along the interior and out of sight, sounding like it was causing more damage as it went along.

Cyborg was pretty sure of what was going to happen next, as dictated by the laws of comedy, which were in some ways stronger even than the laws of physics. So when they were enveloped in a familiar green illumination and Starfire's voice called out to them from behind, he was prepared enough to stifle his smirk. Mostly.

"Friends, I am joyous to find that you are all unharmed! But friend Robin... why is it that you are wearing my underwear?" Starfire asked slipping back into her old speaking patterns in her fear of the gremlins.

Robin, of course, an awkward kind of guy with male-female relations at the best of times, was completely paralyzed in mortification. Cyborg took the opportunity to snap a picture for posterity.

"We Earthicans do that sometimes as a gesture of trust and stuff!" Beastboy rescued their poor leader with unexpected quick-thinking. "Remember that time Cy put my boxers on his head?" That situation had, in fact, been completely due to an accidental dirty clothing avalanche and Cyborg simply hadn't noticed the boxers till five minutes later, but Starfire had her own way of interpreting things, and they didn't always have the time to explain every little thing to her.

It also wasn't the only instance. Another accidental dirty clothing avalanche caused Raven to walk around with Jasiri's dirty underwear on her head for about 10 minutes.

Confusion melted into 'understanding' and goodwill on that cheery orange face. "Oh, well then, perhaps I should acquire some of your boxers in turn, Robin! I do not think I would wish to wear Beast Boy's... they are a little of the smelly."

Beastboy started sniffing himself, looking wounded, while Robin took charge of the situation. Robin and Cyborg were to head to the main computer, while Starfire, Jasiri and Beast Boy would find Raven and together work on minimizing the damage the gremlins caused before they were all melted into a fine paste, a concept Robin suddenly no longer appeared to have any objections to. Beastboy and Jasiri lingered a second after Starfire's departure, though, grinning at Robin.

"So, did we just earn forgivingness for all this kremlin stuff, or what?" Beastboy asked.

"Totally," Robin replied without an instant's hesitation. "No extra chores or training once this is all over."

"Sweet." Beast Boy and Jasiri said in unison as they went 'blue' jay and blue jay hybrid and fluttered off.

"They're getting smarter," Cyborg commented thoughtfully as they started to sidle towards the nearest stairwell. No way in heck were they risking the elevator.

"Why does that make me feel nervous?" Robin asked absently, eyes scanning shadow after shadow.

The nearest computer with access to security was in the main room, so that was where they went. They crept through hallways and down stairs, and for some reason were less troubled by gremlin mischief the closer to their destination they got. Within one floor of the main room, the only 'attack' there was, was a gremlin surfing dangerously down the stairs on a cookie sheet, shrieking and swaying and generally not posing much of a threat to anything but itself. A few seconds after that, they had an especially loud scream and a painful clang-thud. Neither of them winced, as they were both good at holding grudges when they wanted to be. And they sure wanted to be now.

When they got to the room, they learned why the gremlins had been bothering them less and less: the little monsters were busy watching TV.

They had raided the fridge and were busy eating or food fighting with everything from inside it, including the containers and other non-edibles. The room was a mess of stains, grease, blue fuzzy mould, and squished foodstuffs. On the large monitor that served for both television and central computer, Scrubs was playing (instantly identified in a whisper by Cyborg, who was a fan). Whenever a character the gremlins didn't like showed up on screen, they booed and jeered and threw things. When a character they liked showed up, they cheered and waved their little claws in the air.

There were at least a hundred of them that could be clearly seen.

"Do you have anything that, you know, explodes or freezes a large area or any of that? Even just one" Cyborg whispered at Robin.

Robin shook his head. "They stole it all," he whispered back. "Even if we had the others here with us, I'm not sure we could clear all this out without damaging the computer or the screen."

He took a moment to wonder where one of the gremlins had gotten a red and white striped popcorn bucket, which it was currently using for a helmet. For all he knew it was a sign of dominance and respect in gremlin society. And then he started wondering about the other little details… they had all kinds of little accessories, just like the Starfire-gremlin, that should not have technically existed as far as he knew.

The size of any particular item appeared to be related to whether it would be funnier as a gremlin-sized item being used by a gremlin or a human-sized item being used by a gremlin. Likewise, their ability to withstand physical violence was astonishingly inconsistent. As they mauled and abused each other good-naturedly and seemingly without any speck of a conscience about it, sometimes they would be able to take ludicrous amounts of mutilation and still stumble around, croaking and cackling, and other times they'd just fall over with startling immediacy.

He even noticed that sometimes they had bones inside, a proper skeleton, and other times… not! And there wasn't much time when they weren't hurting each other, because every new scene and commercial was seemingly a cue for the gremlins to mimic and act out what they saw, only with great exaggeration and very bad acting ability. The lawnmower commercial was particularly… messy.

And a scene in the Scrubs episode where the white protagonist fantasized about his black friend Turk being made of living chocolate resulted in a form of audience participation that was purely and simply unspeakable.

"They're creating their own props," he breathed in realization. "And… and warping the fabric of reality around them!"

"I'm not sure now's the time t'go all Raven on me, Rob. I dunno if you'd survive the resultin' psychological stress." Cyborg joked.

Robin smirked, for the first time feeling like he had a real, solid handle on the enemy. "Listen, Cy… I think these things function by the rules of drama and comedy. Look at them… not only do they love watching TV, they love acting it out, too! And if physics don't accommodate that, they just mess with physics!"

Cyborg nodded slowly. "Okay. I get you. Like Roger Rabbit, right? Stuff just works different for them. How does that help us, though?"

"It helps us," Robin explained patiently with an ever-growing smirk, "because I have a Plan." He paused. "A Plan that you are not to mention to any of the other Titans. Ever."

"So I can only assume this is gonna be either suicidal or humiliating, right?"

"Both, Cyborg. Both." Robin said.

"Well, alright, what're we waitin' for?" Cyborg asked him.

-Line Break-

**Me: Man I hate those little suckers.**

**Jasiri: Me too! Also I can't believe you're giving me and the audience a front row seat to Robin and Cyborg's ultimate humiliation!**

**Me: Please they're initiation was way funnier than anything I could do. I even have the tape. Well we better go there's still some gremlins lurking about and I have to take care of them. Chavonnie26 GO! *Slips in some slime on my way to the basement* I meant to do that.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Me while covered in green goop: Man I haven't seen that much slime since the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.**

**Jasiri while also covered in slime: I know! My favourite part of last years was the sliming of Justin Beiber!**

**Me: Same. I still have no idea how he's so popular? I mean he sings like a girl! Literally first time I heard him on the radio I thought he was a girl!**

**Jasiri: Same here! So how do you plan to get rid of the gremlins in the story?**

**Me: That's for me to know and for you to find out!**

**Jasiri: Fine by me. Chavonnie26 owns only me. Now onto killing the gremlins I mean story!**

-Line Break-

Beast Boy and Jasiri were an immense help in cornering small green monsters. While they still ran from _her_, they both lured them in by posing as a tiny adorable bunny and a small bunny hybrid which actually looked really cute… and then, while their attention was focused on doing something unpleasant to the 'helpless' little animals, Starfire blasted them with a rapid barrage before they spotted her hanging behind. It was a tactic that required precise timing and even more precise accuracy, but she was happily up to the task.

"I wonder, friends Beast Boy and Jasiri," she mused aloud while gingerly stepping over some bubbly gremlin corpses, "why they do not all react the same to my attacks. Some of them explode, while others melt…"

"They're super adaptable and mutate a lot. We should be glad we haven't seen any talking ones with wings and electric zappy powers." Jasiri said while shuddering at the mental image.

Starfire nodded in fervent agreement after thinking it over. The creatures were unpleasant enough when she only had the vaguest idea of their emotions and intentions. She was certain that understanding exactly what they were saying would not be an improvement.

A metal pole smashed through the left wall, driving all the way into the opposite one just inches from Starfire's face. Despite knowing that it (probably) couldn't hurt her, she shrieked and jumped instinctively, raising one green-glowing hand.

Sliding through the new hole with a speed that was probably supposed to look elegant but only ended up looking silly, claws curled loosely around the pole, the Slade-gremlin appeared, hanging in the middle of the hallway. It would have been intimidating if its feet actually touched the ground.

"Dun dun DUN!" it croaked, seemingly completely untroubled by the fact that Starfire had already sent it flying on its way once before. The black-fringed twin holes in his suit where she had blasted him smelt faintly of burnt bacon.

"That's just tacky," Beast Boy commented, frowning at the gremlin that now hung between him, Jasiri and Starfire. He kicked it experimentally. Instead of any of the numerous clumsy and painful things Starfire and Jasiri had expected to happen to the Slade-gremlin, it instead used the force of the kick to execute a shockingly perfect head over heels twirl in the air, landing on its feet with uncanny balance.

"Dun," it told Starfire grimly, taking one step forward.

Uncertain, Starfire floated back a little, charging up her other hand as well.

"You remember what happened the last time you confronted me, yes?" she asked it.

"Dun DUN," it said, taking two more emphatic steps. She retreated a little more.

"Dude, Star, just blast it already!" Beastboy shouted.

"Yeah blast it!" Jasiri shouted as well.

"Please, I do not wish to destroy more of you than I have to," she tried to bargain, voice quietly solemn. "You appear to have some capacity to reason, yes? Cease your actions of futile hostility, gremlin who is pretending to be Slade, and we shall find a way to send you home."

"Dun DUN DUN." Three more steps.

She crossed her arms, planted her feet, and charged up her eyes instead. "That is ENOUGH, Slade-gremlin! I am no longer yielding to you! If you advance even a single step further I promise you that you will regret it!"

Terra-gremlin appeared behind Jasiri and another gremlin dressed like Wildebeest appeared Beast Boy and they both started throwing small rocks at them at very specific places of their bodies, which understandably occupied the entirety of their attentions.

Slade-gremlin whispered something, very faintly, holding still for a change.

Starfire's forehead wrinkled up. "I am sorry, Slade-gremlin, can you please speak louder?"

It whispered once more, louder but still unintelligible. She leaned down a bit.

"Just a little louder, please?"

Whisperwhisperwhiser...

She leaned down more.

"DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" it screamed at the top of its lungs, throwing down one of Robin's explosives. It beeped twice, almost reluctantly, and then exploded. Caught by surprise, Starfire fell with the Slade-gremlin down to the next level.

She found herself in a vast room whose purpose was uncertain now that it was mostly destroyed and filled with gremlins in a variety of costumes.

They appeared to be arrayed in a sort of court, diagonally running off to the sides from a central point in front of her. In that spot, Tobi the mog who was wai sat on a Lego chair throne, with a Lego crown on his head. He was trying to prop his huge head on one tiny hand boredly, but it wasn't working very well and his head kept falling off to one side. But he perked up as soon as he saw her, eyes sparkling and mouth opening in a cute big grin to match his cute big head.

Slade-gremlin gestured theatrically towards Tobi, and knelt. All the gremlins around tried to make every sort of sound every large crowd had ever made, all at the same time.

-Line Break-

"_Are you sure this is going to woooork?_" Cyborg sang nervously, grabbing a cane and top hat off of the nearest gremlin and tap-dancing in.

He was one bad tap-dancer if he did say so himself, but he wasn't sure if the gremlins cared. But it wasn't like he had a better Plan, so even a stupid Plan was better than no Plan at all... but he reserved the right to complain!

"_They like things in television and movies, so we'll give them a musical_," Robin sang with hilarious solemnity, matching Cyborg's steps with concentrated precision. "_And musicals are almost never interrupted in the middle of a song, so we're probably safe!_"

"_I like how you threw that probably in there_," Cyborg sang sarcastically in a mockingly high pitch, pirouetting over closer to the computer. They had to work their way over to it, but not be too obvious... it had to be showy, diversionary.

"_I think we need a little more booyah in our singing, the dancing alone won't do it_," he added as some of the watching gremlins, growing bored (and that was apparently a very dangerous thing for a gremlin to be), started booing and throwing rotten vegetables pilfered from the fridge.

"_We need a plot_," Robin sang hastily, dancing in such a way as to avoid a sudden irate claw swipe. The audience was definitely getting restless. "_Something with meaning! I'll start! You see, we were given this strange little gift by Kid Flash..._"

"_And though we were wary, we soon figured out Tobi was a blast_," Cyborg broke in cheerily.

"_Although I'm not sure flash and blast really rhyme but whatever, just go with it_," he sang quickly under his breath in a lower tone.

The gremlins giggled and clapped, to his relief. They liked self-mockery in their musicals. Great. He could self-mock all day long if it kept their slimy little claws off his circuits.

"_But then he made a bunch of gremlins and we don't know what to do._" Robin sang as he tripped over some debris that looked an awful lot like training equipment from the gymnasium, but Cyborg caught him and recovered the dance by manoeuvring it into a tango, the only thing he could think of where one partner dipped the other.

"_Except dance around like goofballs while inside we cry boohoooooo!_" he sang sonorously while gazing deeply into Robin's eyes, because, well, that was what you were supposed to do in a tango, as far as he knew. Robin looked tremendously uncomfortable.

"_Because while it, uh, seems strange to us... we... we think we have a hold_," Robin sang on stutteringly, transmuting the tango into a less close contact country dance with spinning and twirling.

"_On... on how their psychology works, and so we must unfold_," Cyborg continued, stammering at the start but getting a better idea of the line as he went on.

"_A Plan of enormously theatrical proportions!_" they both sang out together, then pausing to stare at each other and wonder how they managed to think of and sing the exact same line at the exact same time.

Cyborg shrugged and bowed, and after a second Robin bowed too. The gremlins threw roses and howled, spindly arms waving in the air.

"I think they want more," Cyborg muttered to Robin hastily.

"Well, I'm at the computer, can you keep on distracting them while I open up the tower?" Robin muttered back.

Cyborg grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Oh yeah, my man. Not a problem. Now for an ENCORE..."

He cleared his throat, and burst into singing of profoundly operatic levels, arms spread in an exuberant pose.

"_THE HILLLLLLLS ARE ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE... WITH THE SOUND OF MUUUUUUUUUSIIIIIIIIIIIIC!_"

-Line Break-

"So how do you know Wildebeest?" Beastboy asked Jasiri as they ran from the two gremlins.

"We used to date so I'm guessing that Terra was your ex?" Jasiri asked as they rounded a corner to hide.

"Yeah so how do we get out of this?" Beastboy asked her as the gremlins ran by.

"We best find Starfire she has to've overcome her peacemaker instincts around that Slade-gremlin by now, right?" Jasiri asked him as they went back to where they last saw Star.

They were both alarmed to find a large hole where Starfire had once been. A variety of gremliny noises drifted into the hallway from it. They both crept closer, shifting from housecats to snakes to chameleons to hummingbirds nervously. Hovering with a ridiculous amount of wing beats per second, they peered their little birdy eyes down to see what could be seen, and was greeted with a nightmarish sight.

Oh jeez, she's captured and it was all their fault!

Wait.

They couldn't hurt her, could they?

...unless they still had some of Robin's stuff...

Was that Tobi on a Lego chair in the middle?

Hearing a skittering sound behind them, they rotated in air just in time to see 2 big mallets swung by Terra-gremlin and Wildebeest-gremlin smash into them. With a headaches the size of ten Texases, they spiralled downwards, dazed, landing on Starfire's shoulders and thinking some very bad words that hummingbirds weren't supposed to know.

Stupid Gremlins!

"Beast Boy and Jasiri, I am so glad you are both unharmed!"

Beast Boy and Jasiri morphed to normal just to express their outrage.

"Unharmed?! UNHARMED?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT MY HEAD FEELS LIKE RIGHT NOW?!" They shouted in unison.

It was almost freaky how often they did it.

"And what is Tobi doing surrounded by all these gremlins?" Jasiri demanded, eager to get more info on what was happening "Are they, like, worshipping him like the yellow robot and the Ewoks?" Too late, she realized Star wouldn't get the reference but she seemed to get the idea anyway.

"Our poor friend appears to be held captive. He is on a chair and has a circlet, but it is impossible for him to move!"

It was true; there were so many gremlins around intent on not going anywhere that Tobi couldn't budge his furry butt from his seat. He didn't look like he was in control or anything, either. He looked bored and tired, like a parent whose kids had been very naughty and worn all the adults out.

"So you're one of the good guys, Tobi?" He wanted to believe it.

Tobi nodded, smiling a cute (as always) little smile. "Tobi goo guy."

"Can you tell these guys to stop wrecking everything? Or get them to leave us alone, or anything like that?" Jasiri asked him hopefully as her eyes started to look like his.

Tobi looked around incredulously at the crowd of gremlins who were busy doing chaotic and dangerous gremlin activities (one of them was attempting to eat Starfire's foot, which apparently just tickled her a little because she was giggling and wiggling her toes), then back at Beast Boy and Jasiri. The expression on his face was distinctly Raveny.

Beast Boy grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, I guess that was too much to ask for. Can you speak to them though?"

A nod from both him and Jasiri as she changed into surprisingly a mogwai hybrid.

"Awesome! Now we just need to figure out what to tell them..."

He slumped. How could you reason with a bunch of green, animalistic, totally illogical pranksters?

...after about a minute, his brain caught on to the similarity and he got pissed at himself for still not having any ideas.

Tobi was gesturing at Starfire and Jasiri, who floated and waddled over delicately, constantly assaulted by gremlins and constantly throwing them off with saint like polite gentleness. Beast Boy, tired morphing every five seconds to avoid the latest gremlin 'joke,' turned into a flea and watched curiously, unnoticed.

The fuzzy wuzzy Lego monarch planted a tiny peck right on Star's lips, a weird, almost perverted gleam in his eyes. But all an outraged Beast Boy and Jasiri could think about was how lucky the little chubby jerk was, to have the guts to just smooch her like that when every other guy on the planet who'd ever seen her had been too awed by her super model looks to do more than dream about it! You couldn't just take kisses like that! There was a whole dance and song routine! There was dates and candles and candy and stuff! And Robin would kick Tobi's butt when he found out, too, probably. What was the little guy up to?

-Line Break-

Raven was a pragmatic, logical, disciplined... ruthless and enraged monster-annihilating machine of demonic doom.

She treated it like a game of Battleship. Go from section to section in careful order, slicing, dicing, strangling, and blowing up anything that was messing with the innards or outards of the tower. She started at the very top of the tower, and worked her way down floor by floor, making sure nothing got by her regular wall-ignoring patrol loops to re-infect cleansed areas. There wasn't any thought of mercy. No, not after what they'd done to her books. Her poor, sweet, innocent books.

No mercy!

Whatever they were, she was determined to be their grim reaper. And it troubled her that she couldn't identify them at all, which only increased her suspicion that that brown and white furball with the stupid Jasiri-given name was at the root of it. It was a little worrying, not having contacted the others, but she put herself at relative ease by telling herself that they were probably just as busy as her, cleaning house from the bottom up most likely. It was a big tower, and she was glad she could levitate, teleport, and float through things.

It was the sounds that were the worst part, by far. Just suspecting the kind of related damage being done to their home without knowing until she actually saw it... and seeing was pretty bad, too. The shrill tear of metal, the shattering crashes of glass and porcelain, the fizz-pop of electricity fooled around with. Sometimes, even worrying loud, deep booms that sounded suspiciously like the gremlins had somehow gotten into and figured out how to properly use her powdered manticore liver. At least they couldn't do anything with any of her wands or rods.

One gremlin had eaten the box of magical tools and disintegrated on the spot in an agonizingly slow way that would probably have even Raven with nightmares for the rest of the week (except for the eyes, they'd been left to stare blindly upwards from the floor). On the other hand, Beast Boy and Jasiri probably would have done the same thing eventually, so maybe she should be happy the gremlin got to it first. If she could actually bring herself to admit she was happy to have Beast Boy and Jasiri around, which was an iffy thing most of the time.

Then she came to a particularly damaged hallway with a large hole in the middle of the floor. Down that hole were Starfire, Beast Boy, Jasiri looking suspiciously like the furball, the furball, and far too many gremlins.

And to her complete and utter horror, the gremlins appeared to be preparing to mount a musical number.

-Line Break-

"Dreadfully sorry about that," Tobi told Starfire and Jasiri cheerfully, "but I overheard about your unique linguistic transferral abilities and this is the easiest way to convey information. I am much more intelligible to you than previously, yes?"

Starfire shut her mouth, then opened it again. "Err, yes, Tobi, you are most eloquent! Can you tell us how to defeat your wicked gremlin brethren now?"

Beast Boy looked himself... which was to say, he looked confused. "You three can understand each other now?"

"Wes Wesboy we can." Jasiri said in toddler-ese which was pretty cute considering she looked almost just like a mogwai.

"Do you remember my explaining of the Tameranian species' evolved ability for linguistic transferral, friend Beast Boy and Jasiri?"

Blank looks.

"It is why I kissed Robin the first time?" she added, blushing at the memory. She'd been so brash about it at the time, when she hadn't even known what it meant in human culture. A wasted opportunity, truly, but at least she had made up for it.

"Ooohhhh yeah. And that was how you learned English! So, Tobi taught you mogwai-eeze?" Beastboy and Jasiri said in unison but Jasiri said it in mogwai-eeze.

"I believe it is so!" Starfire looked around at the gremlins with increasing nervousness. "Friend Tobi, why are they preparing musical instruments?" The one in particular that stood out was a gremlin with cymbals who clanged them happily and without any sense of rhythm.

Another one kept sticking its head between the two cymbals and pulling it down just in time to avoid the clash every time, giggling. The instruments weren't all human, either; she also saw a set of Tameranian galdoblorp pipes, dwarfing their tiny green user.

"You have perhaps noticed that my, ah, socially-challenged kin have a talent for mimicry," Tobi said, gesturing with his tiny arms at the various gremlins in costumes. "This goes beyond a mere hobby interest. You see, Starfire, gremlins have no culture of their own. They exist by absorbing the popular cultures they are exposed to and making those cultures their own, in a crude, simplistic way. While horrendously immature, they learn and adapt quickly, and what the progenitor mogwai knows, they all share an instinctive, subconscious knowledge of. From me, they have basic interest in human society and popular media. From the Titans themselves, they have acquired a specific interest in the superhero-supervillain dynamic. What my colleagues, if I may dignify them with the term, are preparing to do is a merge of popular culture with your superhero team."

"Will it be dangerous?" Jasiri asked as her ears pressed flat against her skull from the noise from the gremlins.

"Dudes, I can't understand what he's saying, translate for me!" Beast Boy whispered, fidgety at not being able to follow along. Jasiri smiled and rubbed up against his hand. He was cute when he was impatient.

"Tobi is speaking of the motives of our enemy," Starfire whispered back gently. "Please do not interrupt; this is very much of the complicated. I will do more of the explaining later."

"Everything they do is dangerous, of course," Tobi answered with a condescending smirk at the gremlins, ignoring the aside. It was a strange expression on his cute little face. "If only because they are competent at being incompetent, and have no grasp whatsoever of the value of dignity or life. However, if you play along, you may be able to get through it quite unscathed. They are like easily bored children. Keep them entertained and all is well. But should things slow down, they throw tantrums... and, well, this is the result." He waved a tiny hand to encompass the whole trashed room.

The gremlins were now starting to play, a varied battle of sounds that reminded Starfire of her home planet's music. But Beast Boy and Jasiri did not like it at all, because they started groaning and covering their ears. "They don't really have a plan, you see. Gremlins don't plan. They just have ideas, feelings, urges. Right now they have the feeling that the Teen Titans need a... well, a musical episode."

"A musical episode?" Starfire's forehead scrunched up as Jasiri turned back to normal. "Do they think we are one of the shows of the television?"

Tobi smiled mysteriously. "Well, they have an instinct for these kinds of things. Every good serial story needs one wacky, crazy, zany musical adventure in it, and they've decided now is the time for yours. If you fight it, they'll keep on fighting you. But if you cooperative..."

Starfire brightened. "We will be able to satisfy their urges for entertainment and defeat them! We may not even have to turn any more of them into horrible green goo, which I confess has been making me feel very aqua!"

"Blue, Miss Starfire," Tobi gasped as she picked him up and hugged him maybe just a little too tight. She loosened her grip and he sighed. "_And I believe we had better start nowwww_," he sang in an incredibly rich, smooth tenor.

Starfire was amazed at what his tiny lungs could do! Of course she supposed Beast Boy and Jasiri were hearing it differently. At least the changeling and hybrid were looking delightedly startled instead of pained now, though.

"_Because the natives are getting restless, you see_," he went on singing, hopping down to the ground and prancing forward dancingly. "_And though I can't rhyme for the life of me, perhaps you can do better, and unlock these cruel fetters... of boredom and drearineeeeeesssss!_"

"I have no idea what he's saying," Beast Boy muttered, eyes huge and fascinated, "but this is so awesome."

"Totally." Jasiri said with her yellow eyes incredibly big.

The gremlins started booing and throwing things at Beast Boy and Jasiri, and Starfire knew what had to be done.

"_You must sing it, friends Beast Boy and Jasiri_," she sang... being very, very careful to keep to note combinations that she had learned were reasonably cordial to Earthling ears. "_Even though you may be loathe to... um, employ... such... suuuuccchhh..._" She hesitated, brain blank for more lyrics, and the gremlins started getting raucous again.

"_They want us to sing?_" Jasiri sang with such perky excitement that it was impossible to not grin.

"_Then we'll sing, and we'll sing, and we'll sing my freakin' lungs out 'cause we love to sing it's super awesome cool rad to the max!_" Jasiri and Beastboy sang in unison remembering their first date.

They went out for a nice dinner then did some karaoke.

Hesitantly, Starfire inspected the audience, then looked back at Jasiri and Beast Boy. They seemed really happy. Maybe it didn't have to rhyme if it was done with enough enthusiasm? That was it. They were just like children, they wished for passion and action in their diversions, not well thought out words!

"_Then sing for us, friends Beast Boy and Jasiri, and do a little dance!_" Tobi suggested.

"_He says to keep the singing and do a little dance_," Starfire sang in translation in a lower tone.

"_A dance like this? Or this? Or this or this or this?_" Starfire could not recognize any of the 'dancing' manoeuvres her friends used save for the last one, which was a clumsy bodily spin taken from the broken dancing. Some of the gremlins started imitating it, and inevitably managed to spin themselves violently into each other and random objects.

"_Oh, they like thaaaaat_," Beast Boy sang with an animal grin, rubbing his hands. "_I totally understand these dudes! Sure, they may be a little rude, but all they wanna do is have fun!_"

A little pause. The gremlins seemed to be waiting expectantly for more. Unfortunately Starfire couldn't think of anything to continue with, she was too impressed with Beast Boy and Jasiri to even keep up with his... well, not talent, but enthusiasm!

"_On the bun?"_ he sang hesitantly.

Gremlins booed and one of them, snub-nosed and cross-eyed, pulled out a flamethrower.

"Sing better!" it croaked, hoisting the weapon menacingly.

Starfire blinked. Mogwai and gremlin language were apparently the same thing. Well, at least she wouldn't have to kiss a gremlin to understand them. Eww.

"_Sing better, sing better, sing better than best,_" the other gremlins started chanting as musically as their vocal chords allowed. "_Sing better than best or die with the rest!_" Some of them cackled and held up smoking gremlin skeletons.

Outraged at the petty threat and their lack of solidarity with each other, Starfire strode right up to the cross-eyed gremlin and blasted the flamethrower to trash with a sharp downward slap of her glowing hand.

"_How dare you say such things_," she half-sang, half-hissed, eyes glowing with righteous fury. "_Have you no morals? Have you no manners?! Have you no knorfka to teach you right from wrong?!"_

"_I don't think they do_," Jasiri jumped in.

"_I don't think they care. Like Thunder and Lightning, they need to beware... of burning themselves with their own stupid jokes!_" Beastboy sang as they stuck their tongues out at them.

"And th-th-th-th, that's all, folks." Jasiri said as she turned into an eagle hybrid, snatched up Tobi in her talons, and flew up through the hole in the ceiling where the gremlins couldn't follow. Bewildered at her sudden (if admittedly stylish) retreat, Starfire and Beastboy (As an eagle as well) flew after her, the angry boos and shouts of gremlin kind loud in their ears.

"Friend Jasiri, why did you flee? We were singing well were we not?" Starfire asked her.

"Guys, we cannot keep doing that with just each other for backup! We need a whole band or something! It's hard to keep thinking of things to sing!" Jasiri said as they rounded a corner.

"Tobi will sing with us!" Starfire suggested.

"Indeed, but he cannot understand me," Tobi reminded her, "and therefore cannot follow my lyrics to make a pleasing song. You cannot just follow one verse with a completely random one, there has to be pattern and rhythm."

"I can't sing along with a dude when I can't understand what he's saying and you can't translate all the time, it breaks up the music," Beast Boy said at the exact same time.

"And I can only understand him when I'm a mogwai hybrid but it takes all my concentration to keep the form so I wouldn't be much help." Jasiri said when Beastboy finished.

There was an ominous scurrying of many, many clawed feet.

Beast Boy swallowed. "They're gonna come up here and get us if we don't sing the right thing, aren't they?"

"No," said Raven's raspy voice, "because I'm going to teleport us all out of here. But if you start singing again I swear by Azar I will leave you to the mercies of the little green monsters!"

"FRIEND RAVEN!"

"RAVEN!"

"RAE!"

"Waven!"

Four hugs at once was apparently too much for poor Raven, and after exactly one second of enduring it she phased through them all and floated back several feet before solidifying again.

"We are sorry, friend Raven, we are merely very glad you are unharmed and-" Starfire started to say.

"They trashed my books," Raven growled. Starfire saw a tell-tale glint of extra red eyes in the shadow of the hood. "And you were singing, and I don't even want to know why. Come on, let's get out of here."

"We were just trying to-" Jasiri tried to say.

Raven held up a hand. "Stop. Don't want to hear it."

"But dude, if you sing with us, we can-" Beastboy tried to say.

"There is not enough money in the world to bribe me to sing alone in a locked room, Beast Boy, let alone with you!" Raven snarled.

"But... it's just like karaoke!" Jasiri protested, fake tears in her eyes, hands clasped in pleading.

Starfire awwed and almost pet her as though she were in cute little infant feline form.

Raven was, as always, immune. "I don't like karaoke."

Beast Boy and Jasiri were speechless.

But only for a little bit.

"Don't like... don't like... what's WRONG with you?! What's the matter Raven, huh!? You don't like singing and fun? Everyone else here does!" They said in unison and threw their arms into the air in a gesture of complete helplessness. "Fine, whatever, I guess I should be used to your total unability to have fun by now."

They then looked at each other surprised they both said all that in unison.

"Inability," Raven corrected with a lecturing tone as she covered them in dark energy. "I don't suppose you guys know where Robin and Cyborg are?"

-Line Break-

**Me: Ah singing and dancing is there no other greater joy?**

**Jasiri: Nope also how are you doing these chapters so fast?**

**Me: Easy I wrote this story a while ago but I forgot to publish it so I'm just editing it a little then finally publishing it.**

**Jasiri: Oh.**

**Me: Yeah well if I can I'll get another chapter out by day's end. Well I got to go. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to edit next chapter***


	16. Chapter 16

"How was I supposed to know they hate Julie Andrews?!" Cyborg hollered as he and Robin ran up the fourth flight of steps, hoping the gremlins would get tired before they did.

It didn't seem likely. On the plus side, at least the little freaks had run out of all the good rotten veggies and fruits to throw... they were down to old potatoes, which didn't have the desired splattery effect, no matter how hard, you threw them. But they still hurt!

Their saviour turned out to be a wall of demonic telekinetic energy, rising up to block the gremlins off as Raven and the rest of the team emerged from the ceiling, covering in similar energy. Some of the gremlins tried to bash or gnaw through the barrier, while the rest scattered to satisfy their instincts to wreak havoc everything in the tower that wasn't shielded by a telekinetically-gifted superhero.

"You're welcome," Raven deadpanned at her deadpanniest.

"I am so glad you are on our team," Cyborg told her, tearful with gratitude.

He really, really hated those gremlins. It seemed like they'd been created by a cruel universe specifically to mess with him and everything he'd ever rewired, tuned up, oiled, and fixed together. He couldn't take a step anywhere without seeing something he'd worked on that they'd reduced to smoking ruin, including the stuff that wasn't supposed to be able to smoke.

"Why are you covered in asparagus and tomatoes?" she asked, and then held up a hand. "Wait never mind. Like everything else about today, I don't want to know." She let the wall drop cautiously as the last of the gremlins, bored, scampered off to seed chaos elsewhere.

"They like musicals, but not Julie Andrews," he explained. "I don't get it."

Starfire, Jasiri and Beast Boy's faces brightened in a way that Cyborg recognized as delighted and hopeful. When they all did that at the same time it was usually a sign of something really strange but also really cool going on.

The conversation that followed was only half as confusing as Cyborg was afraid it'd be.

"The computer is still the important part," Robin stated at the end when all information was conveyed all around and Plans related. "If we can disable security and get the windows open, we can corner them easily in the areas without bright light. Raven, can you teleport us and shield everyone while we get through security?"

"But... but that means we won't get to sing," Beast Boy protested, ears drooping.

Jasiri's ears also drooped and she was giving what can only be described as a puppy dog pout.

"I can do anything that doesn't require me singing and prevents Beast Boy and Jasiri from doing it," Raven said with a rare trace of enthusiasm.

Peering closely, Cyborg even spotted a tiny smirk aimed in Jasiri and Beast Boy's direction. Ah, good old-fashioned teammate rivalry. Better than TV.

He chuckled and started to pat Beast Boy and Jasiri on the back consolingly, but stopped after halfway through the first pat.

"Hey man... are you growin' a hump?" he asked Beastboy suspiciously.

Beast Boy turned around to display Tobi, clinging to his back like a backpack.

"Awww. That's so cute!" Cyborg cooed. "Hey, sprout, get on my shoulder and we can have a triple teammate tower thing goin' on. It'll be almost as fun as singin'."

"DUDE! YES, AWESOME! Come on, Tobi, you're movin' up in the world!" Beastboy said as he climbed up on Cyborg,

"I don't understand why you do that when you know Beast Boy and that... thing... are going to shed all over you," Raven commented, bubbling them all in energy in preparation for a teleport.

They had been through enough of Raven's teleporting trips to be able to maintain something like calm and concentration in the middle of them now, even if it was really disorienting. And Cyborg suffered the least, having technological senses that weren't as affected by the discrepancies between sensation, hearing, and sight that teleporting caused.

So he simply replied while they were floating in that hazy nether dimension that was involved in moving to point c from point a without moving through point b in the process. But Jasiri still hated doing it.

"String bean don't shed as much as you'd think, his fur's pretty short. And Tobi deserves the view. Our lil innocent buddy here's a guest; he deserves the red carpet treatment till we figure out how to send 'im home if you ask me." Cyborg said as he defended his friends.

"How do you know it's innocent?" Raven asked, the only sign that she was in the middle of a great big magic trick being her white-flaring eyes.

"Tobi's not an it or a thing, Raven!" Beast Boy and Jasiri said angrily in unison, and Starfire nodded in curt agreement. "He's a boy mogwai and his name is Tobi Garfield Mnyama the First, and he's been super cool to us so you could at least use his name!"

"Absolutely not." Raven said stubbornly.

"Oh come on! You won't sing, you won't say Tobi's name... why're you being such a female dog?!" Beastboy yelled at her.

Uh oh.

Everyone would have cowered behind something if there had been anything to cower behind.

Since there wasn't, they had no choice but to 'stand' (it was a little hard to tell if they were standing, falling, or flying) there and take it as the dark world around them surged with reddy-red-red, the colour of super-angry demons, half-demons, and for all he knew quarter-demons everywhere. Four red eyes glared at them all from the sky like multiple Saurons looking for rings that the Titans just happened to be in possession of.

"You may not have HEARD me the first time I MENTIONED it, but they RUINED ALL OF MY BOOKS!" Raven thundered with a distorted, booming voice that could put grown men down on their knees begging for mercy.

Unfortunately for her, Beast Boy and Jasiri had somehow acquired partial immunity to her tantrums due to overexposure.

"Yeah, and we're sad for you and all, but we'll buy you new books! There's only one Tobi, and he's a living person and he deserves the same respect as any other living being!" Jasiri yelled at her, living up to the meaning of her name. Brave.

Seemingly overwhelmed with confused fury at being stood up to over something so trivial, Raven's concentration on the teleporting went askew and the Titans found themselves nauseous and headachey in a succession of three wrong rooms before they finally landed where they were supposed to, safely enclosed in a bubble of magic in case any gremlins were around.

"Apologies for the technical difficulties," Raven growled lowly, not sounding sorry at all. "Now can you please open the windows so we can get this awful day over with?" she begged of Robin. At least, as close to begging as Raven generally ever came.

Robin started typing, and gremlins started poking around the bubble, getting more and more interested and creative as it refused to yield. Some of them even started to crawl on top of it. But Raven held it firm without too much trouble while the rest of them had nothing to do but stand there being nervous. Aware of an opportunity to mend fences, Cyborg nudged his little green buddy significantly and hoped his friend would take the hint.

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry I called you a female dog just now," Beast Boy apologized to Cyborg's immense relief. "I didn't mean it."

"That's fine," Raven said curtly, not looking at him, obviously not interested in talking about it.

"...but you really should at least be nice enough to say his name..." Jasiri added, and Cyborg stifled a groan. Maybe he'd be picking BB and Jas's internal organs off the ceiling today after all.

Then Starfire butted in to gang up on Raven, and by Cyborg's standards that just seemed mean. Star's concern for the wellbeing of all living creatures definitely included cute little Tobi, which was making her go on the offensive and ally with Beast Boy and Jasiri again. Poor Raven didn't have a chance if she wanted a semi-civil atmosphere in the tower once the gremliny crisis was over.

And while he was real sympathetic for poor put-upon Raven, who was just stressed and grumpy and wanted to be left alone, was he gonna stand up to the combined self-righteousness of Starfire, Jasiri and Beast Boy? Nosireebob! He was Switzerland. Totally and utterly Switzerland. All three of them had stubborn streaks a mile long, even if BB didn't show his much.

"Fine," Raven finally spat out, visibly grinding her teeth while gremlins crawled all over the magic sphere protecting them all like it was a set of monkey bars.

"Just this once. I'm suh... I'm sorry," she said stutteringly, clearly pained to have to use the S-word, "if I insulted you, To…Tob….Tobi uck." The 'uck' was a sound of complete revulsion that was normally reserved for people who were about to throw up.

Cyborg sighed and shook his head. That girl just set too much stock on her dignity and everyone else's. You couldn't live with Beast Boy, Jasiri and Starfire and be dignified. It was impossible. Too many bad jokes and hugs were involved.

What was taking Robin so long? It shouldn't take him this long to override the security, Cyborg realized. He leaned over and peered at the terminal where Robin was typing frantically and mumbling rude things under his breath.

"What's the holdup, man?" he asked their noble leader softly while the rest of the team was busy being melodramatic.

"Those little monsters did something to the computer," Robin told him in his tightest, blankest mission leaderiest voice. "I think downloaded a virus. Or used it to make a virus. Or something. I'm trying to work through it to get to the security override, but... the interface is jumping randomly between Windows XP and a Linux plugin, and sometimes the mouse controls reverse themselves, and half the keys are typing what looks like Vietnamese..."

Grimly, Cyborg shoved his leader out of the way. This was a job for the tech guy. "I shoulda known that they'd mess with this, too. Why not? They've trashed everything else I've cared about, except you  
guys." Cracking knuckles partially jammed with the mush of blackened bananas and green cherry tomatoes, he set out to fix the unfixable and do it in record time. Just another day as a superhero, alright.

"Can you hurry up?" Raven asked five minutes later in a strained voice that Cyborg knew was trouble. "The longer I hold them back, the more of them come in and start trying to break through... it's getting hard..."

Cyborg spared a glance around to see that the room was indeed packed with the cackling monsters, and hurriedly locked his eyes back on the screen, fingers moving like lightning.

"They really did a number on the system. I'm reversing the damage just as much as I need to get to the security, but it's gonna be a little while longer," he told her emotionlessly, knowing she would appreciate professionalism over sympathy or worry right now. "I'm moving as fast as I can. Just do what you can. And if the gremlins get through, we'll deal with it."

Two and a half minutes later, the gremlins got through, and Cyborg had the added joy of trying to complete one of the toughest computering jobs of his life with the background noise of a full-scale battle royale going on in the same room. It was almost as thrilling as it was terrifying. He was glad he was physically incapable of wetting his pants.

-Line Break-

"This is not working!" Starfire shouted after kicking one of a thousand monsters in the mouth. It grabbed a fallen tooth, glared at her maliciously, and threw it at her.

It didn't hurt physically, of course, but she felt a little bad about it emotionally. They were such childish creatures, it made her feel bad to fight them even when they were trying their utmost to harm her and her friends.

"We cannot hold them all back from friend Cyborg forever, there are too many! We must try the distraction of the singing if we are to prevail!" Starfire yelled as more gremlins appeared.

"Never!" Raven snarled, decapitating five gremlins with a single black-energized swipe of her hand. _She_ did not feel emotionally bad about hurting them.

"_Why won't you sing with us?!_" Jasiri sang at Raven plaintively in the middle of the fight.

Gremlins all around her stopped, some of them even somehow pausing in midair, defying physics to avoid interrupting Jasiri's musical moment. She had just as much enthusiasm as talent, if Starfire was any judge of Earthling standards, but that was really a benefit as far as their audience was concerned. "_What're you scared of? It's not like the gremlins'll bite your head off!_"

Robin picked up the cue, haltingly at first, but quickly adjusting to it as the gremlins around him starting to quiet down as well.

"_Except they, you know, they might bite her head off,_" he pointed out in song. "_I hate to nit-pick, but they're pretty mean critics, and we can't blame her for not wanting to put herself out there..._"

Starfire knew her moment to slide in had come. The entire room of monsters was calm now... well, as calm as they ever got (no more than a mere five things were being thrown through the air at any one time). So she floated over to Robin and took his hands in hers, smiling a little at his expression. She knew exactly what to do, she had seen many of the Earth musical performances. There had to be dancing with the song.

"_They are petty, and foolish, and mindlessly cruel,"_ she sang, helping Robin along into a series of steps she understood was an Earth waltz. Tameranian dancing would have been more fun for her, but perhaps less so for him, and might have roused their onlookers to violence again with its physical fervour. "_And to sing without fear is the act of a fool. But not for the danger our audience shows, nor for the risk of it coming to blows... for there... is a deeper... danger..._" She leaned teasingly closer to him at that last part, and held him captive in her grip of proper dancing pose, amused at how squirmy he became.

"_What sort of danger would that be?_" It was more of a squeak than a song, but it seemed to work with the flow anyway.

"_The danger of opening your heart_," she sang to him warmly, dropping his hands and floating away to play coy and let someone else take the lead of the song, if any of her friends were inspired.

"_I think you need to explain, Star, even though Raven looks kinda pained, Star,_" Cyborg surprisingly tossed in absently, not looking away from his work, a sly smirk on his lips.

"_No, dude, I get it,_" Beast Boy came in, walking in front of them as though there was a stage there. "_She means... that you just can't SING without feeling a THING! There's no way to do it and still be true to it, you gotta let go and be free! So come on, miss Raven, why don't you be brave and sing us what's on your mind?_"

"Not. A. Chance," Raven said slow and distinct, wrapping herself tight in her cloak.

"_It is isn't that hard, you see_," Starfire sang to her gently, gesturing with a hand. "_I will start first, you see... I come from a planet where glorglogs eat flarmul, and glikfakrks dream nice dreams of pliqsuul... and though I dearly miss all of those things, I have learned, you see, that Earth has glorglogs and glikfakrks of the heart!_"

"_I have no idea what she just said_," Jasiri entered in once more. "_But I'm sure it was really meaningful and deep. And speaking of deep, we all know I'm SUPER deep, beneath all my cute brown fluff! So I don't need to sing it, so howzabout YOU, Raven? Why don't you show us your stuff?!_"

"If I even have stuff, which I seriously doubt, it is strictly off limits and forbidden to be exposed to open air on pain of death." Raven said so coldly her breathe came out as a puff of steam.

The worry that Raven was putting herself in danger was abated by how the gremlins were starting to react. Starfire watched them carefully, and they seemed to enjoy the battle between the song and Raven's raspy muttering as much as anything else. Rather than being hostile towards her, some were even encouraging her in their own... gremliny... way.

Some of them were putting on hooded blue cloaks (probably stolen from Raven's own wardrobe), and beginning construction of a Raven Fan Club sign with a great many badly-crayoned crows on it. Raven's stubbornness was actually enhancing the performance! They were certain to be able to continue until victory was theirs now... if they could just continue thinking of lyrics...

Robin came in again, grinning mischievously. "_Why don't YOU show her?_" he suggested to Jasiri with a dramatic finger point. "_YOU'RE not that deep. In fact I can't blame most boys that think you're a creep_!" Back away from the rest of them, still typing frantically, Cyborg let out a guffaw. "_If you've got depth in your soul, then let's see you lose your control and open yourself up to us. You have to set a good example if you want Raven's trust!"_

"_Mister Mask talks about bein' open!_" Jasiri sang back aggressively with a predatory gleam in her eyes. "_I hope that he's really not hopin' I'll tell somethin' bad I did last week and get punished without bein' caught! 'Cause this girl is not just any girl, boy, she's gonna sing this song smart and... And..._" She stammered to a halt, out of lyrics.

"Whatnot," Robin said lowly, while gremlins started winding up impromptu vegetable catapults.

_"...and whatnot_!" Jasiri finished with a relived grin. "_Instead I'll just sing some of my life before you guys, a life that wasn't so nice though God knows I tried... but eh, maybe I should've tried harder_."

She went on into a song of her childhood in a place called South Africa that was shockingly honest and emotional. Caught up in the magic of music she sang of how Slade sabotaged the experiment that made her what she is today, how her mother had died in childbirth, and of the many hardships she faced before she joined the Titans. It was more openness than any of them had expected to ever hear... more than they had ever heard Jasiri tell them of her past, and Starfire wondered what a strange but wonderfully special person she was, to feel better about singing it in the middle of a mission, with countless little reptile monsters listening.

The rest of them had no part for the moment; the light of the spot was truly on Jasiri and Starfire would not have interrupted her for anything in the world or out of it. By the time she was done, Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg were trying not to cry and failing, and half the gremlins were blowing their noses noisily on polka-dotted handkerchiefs.

Robin and Raven seemed totally speechless, subdued by a moment of painful honesty that they probably were unprepared to match. As odd as the scene was, Starfire could honestly think to herself that she had never been prouder of her teammate.

Raven still refused to sing, when she made her another invitation at the end. She actually turned away, unwilling to look in her eyes while denying her again. Starfire was saddened but not surprised. Everything about this was artificial to Raven. She revealed her true self in brief, subtle moments, gone in an eye-blink... was it no wonder that the concept of singing one's heart in front of a mob of enemies was anathema to her?

Perhaps she was even simply afraid that nothing she could sing would do justice to the hybrid's song as a follow-up. Jasiri would not see it that way, though. Jasiri would not understand... she tried, but she almost never did...

"_Come on, Raven it's totally your turn_," she sang on heartbreakingly.

"I'd rather not." Raven told her.

"_It's your song to sing, your candle to burn!_" Beastboy came in.

"I'll forgive you the strained rhymes. I know you're doing your best in the heat of the moment." It was said in a tone of remarkable good humour for Raven, and it would have really been amusing if it had been said at a less serious moment.

"_Why won't you sing?!_" Beast Boy and Jasiri demanded together.

"It's just not my thing," she replied dryly.

"_But it's totally sweet!" _Jasiri sang her voice almost gone from her last number.

"And not my kind of treat."

"_I bared my naked soul to you!_" Jasiri sang

"There's no part of you I want to see naked! ...and no, I'm not making that rhyme with your stupid line, so stop looking at me like that!" Raven said still coldly.

"_Please, dear friend Raven, just one small-sized verse_," Starfire tried, tenderly. "_If you do not do this, the mission may fail!_"

She snorted. "Not even if I had time to rehearse," she rhymed carefully and bitterly. "In fact, I'd much rather burn in... heck."

"_I can order you, you know_," Robin sang sternly. "_If it's for the safety of the team!_"

"Oh no, extra chores for disobeying an order. The horror." Raven rhymed carefully.

"No need," Cyborg broke in with his regular voice for the first time since the song had started, grinning. He tapped one more key with great emphasis. "We're done. It's over. Who's yer daddy, Ravy? Who's yer Cyborgy daddy who just save you from naked soul monster audience karaoke?"

"Cyborg, I'm VERY grateful, but think about who my father is and then think about what you just asked me." Raven said causing Jasiri to cock her head to the side in confusion.

"Oh. Yeah. Oh well. Wave bye, bye, gremlins! Time to go melty like cheese in a Philly cheesesteak!" he hooted out at the monsters, as the metal panels keeping the windows blocked began to rise up.

Remembering that the gremlins were not the only ones vulnerable to bright light, Starfire quickly picked up Tobi and set him underneath a table where he would be safe from the sun's rays.

"There you go, my little friend. I am sorry for your brethren, but at least you will be safe." Starfire said.

"Your concern is appreciated, but I'm quite safe regardless," Tobi replied with a strange twist in his voice. "Look out a window."

It took a moment for her, and for the rest of the Titans, to realize the situation outside because of the lack of change inside. In fact, the lack of change of lighting was exactly the problem. The panels were raised; the windows should have been letting in great amounts of sunlight. But there was just a dingy greyness that was barely any brighter than the dimness of indoors.

The sky was completely clouded over.

Tobi walked out from where she had so carefully placed him, laughing softly and twirling his Lego crown in his fingers. "You should have checked the weather first, you silly little teens," he sang with a voice that put the rest of them to shame for its clarity and expressiveness. "And I know it's disingenuous of me, but truly it seems... that I was in need of a way to keep my kin well! And so I had you dears put them under your spell, so that when the time come they would escape and swim... and spawn infinitely more, countless gremlins! As I told you, sweet Starfire, and I told you quite true, my brethren do not plan... but mogwai certainly do! And now we shall rule all the world through chaotic upheaval, and by the way, in case you haven't figured it out yet... I... AM... EEEEEEVVVIIIILLLLLLL! Hahahahaaaahaaahaaaahhhhaaaa hhhh!"

-Line Break-

**Me: Man I bet nobody saw that coming.**

**Jasiri: I sure didn't. And thanks for the solo I really appreciate it.**

**Me: No problem. Well I'm off to do the next chapter. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts to type next chapter***


	17. Chapter 17

**Me: Finally the final chapter of the gremlin invasion!**

**Jasiri: Totally! I hate those little pests! So what's your next chapter going to be about?**

**Me: Easy my tofu loving friend it's gonna be….. A surprize!**

**Jasiri: I hate it when you do that. Oh well I guess we should get on with it. Also I can't believe you're finally on holiday!**

**Me: Me too! Finally I can upload my stories so fast it makes Kid Flash look slow.**

**Jasiri: Good for you. Chavonnie26 owns only me.**

**Me: Well put my hybrid friend and onto the gremlin bashing! *Brings out a bucket of popcorn***

-Line Break-

The glass windows didn't last very long. Gremlins started swarming out in such great numbers that it seemed that they took half the inside of the tower with them, soon carpeting everything in sight on the small island. All headed towards the sea, instinctively, all cackling their mad, hyper, sadistic cackles.

Starfire wouldn't have been able to count them all even if her eyes hadn't been blurry from tears of anger and shame at the betrayal. She had trusted and cared for Tobi! And even now, even _now_, he just looked so adorable that it was hard to believe that he would do anything of this nature!

The mission took precedence over personal matters, though. As did Robin's panic-ridden orders.

"TITANS! WE CAN'T LET ANY OF THEM REACH THE OCEAN! IF THAT HAPPENS THEY'LL MULTIPLY ALL OVER THE PLANET! DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT STOP THEM FROM GETTING IN THE WATER!"

Putting her aching heart aside for a warrior's discipline, Starfire soared through the hole where there had once been a window, and started laying down thick layers of green energy death wherever she saw something cackly and scaled moving.

-Line Break-

Robin had thought he'd been in hard fights before. He'd battled enemies both powerful and cunning, walked straight into traps and somehow come out alive, endured psychosis-causing drugs, electrocution, Joker's laughing gas, and Batman's uncompromisingly tough tutelage. None of it compared to what he was facing now, what his team was facing down. For the first time, he'd given them a mission he suspected to be truly impossible.

There were hundreds of gremlins, possibly thousands! All boiling out of the tower from all sides with one goal in mind: a nice, friendly, apocalyptic swim. Only possible because he'd been stupid enough to forget such an obvious aspect of the environment as the weather!

At least it wasn't raining, so they weren't immediately screwed. On the other hand, perhaps instant failure would be kind compared to this task he'd set his family on.

There was no time to worry about non-lethality, no time to back each other up, no time for _anything_ except taking down a target and then immediately looking for another target to take down. He was proving the most ineffectual due to the lack of weaponry; his martial arts was effective at defending himself, but the take one down at a time routine he was managing simply wasn't fast enough, a mere drop of water in the onrushing stream.

So he knew the other Titans would be doing much better and still struggling, and that knowledge caused him to start doing things he'd never done before, things his years of training had discouraged and buried. Risky, clumsy, brutal things, berserker fighting tactics designed only to maim and kill and KO without any concern for the wellbeing of the fighter.

There wasn't _time_ to care about whether he got bitten, or clawed, or stabbed with some of the Titans' own cutlery! No time to be tired, either. He could allow himself to hurt and be exhausted when it was all done. One way or another.

It was the kind of battle that seemed to last an eternity even though it was probably quite brief. The same sort of desperate importance that skewed his perception of time when fighting against Slade, when every word the man spoke seemed to stretch Robin's whole perception of the world into a cold, icy hell of futile violence.

This time, the individual enemies were completely laughable, but the raw numbers were far beyond anything even five superheroes should have been called upon to fight. Too many, far too many. Even Superman and the Flash working together couldn't manage a mess like this. The world would forgive the Titans for failing.

But Robin wouldn't forgive himself for ordering the Titans to fight to the last and then allow himself to do anything less, and so he fought, negligible chance of victory be darned.

In the end, somehow, covered in slime and other fluids that didn't bear too much thinking about, Robin lived to see that negligible chance of victory come to pass. He had no idea what insane heroics his comrades in arms had done to cause it. He would have to ask them afterwards.

After a shower, and a nap, and a meal. It seemed impossible, and for almost a minute his dazed brain didn't really grasp the situation as he just stared blankly at the corpse-covered island, looking and looking for another moving target and bewildered to not find any. Then the meaning of it hit him, and with that all the pain and weariness he'd suppressed through adrenaline came rushing in too.

He almost collapsed on the spot. He probably would have, except he saw Starfire's silhouette in the distance, near the shore. He limped towards her instinctively, needing to bask in her strength and warmth.

Then, with horror, he saw the _second_ silhouette near the shore: Tobi. Only a few feet away from the water, and striding ever closer on his stumpy little legs. Jolted by the nightmarish visions of a gremlin-infested world, Robin gave Starfire an order he'd never thought he'd give.

He ordered her to kill.

"STARFIRE! TAKE HIM OUT! NOW!" he yelled feelings his ribs protest burningly as he did so. He couldn't get there fast enough. He had no projectile weapons. There was no time for subtlety, no time for Starfire to try and subdue, not when so much was at stake... there was no time, no _time_!

The mogwai halted to look up at Starfire, hands grasping each other in a pleading gesture, eyes all sparkly and wet.

"But... I cannot! He is too... too cute!" she wailed.

"THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO BE SO... STARFIRE, STARFIRE! IF HE GETS INTO THE OCEAN THE WORLD IS DOOMED! KILL HIM!" Robin yelled.

The trembling of her hands was very noticeable because they were lit up with globes of energy that flickered and trembled to match the  
hands holding them. Tobi just stood there, apparently figuring that passiveness was his best hope for survival. "I... I..." Starfire stammered uncertainly. "I CANNOT!" She lowered her hands and her head, weeping.

Feeling as though it were a scene from a nightmare, Robin watched helplessly as Tobi resumed his march towards the sea. He ran stumblingly to try and stop the worst from happening, but he knew he was too slow, too slow. There wasn't enough time, and Starfire wasn't going to do what had to be done. Gremlin apocalypse, here we come. It would be like a zombie movie only way more annoying.

Chuckling in glee, Tobi halted at the very edge of the shoreline, stuck one foot out with mocking deliberateness, wiggling the toes, then letting it move down to the water, closer and closer.

Like a jack in the box, Silkie popped out from underneath a small pile of dead gremlins, slimier than ever but still perky. He arced through the air with a neatly lunging pounce, landed precisely on Tobi, and swallowed the little mogwai whole. It happened so fast that Tobi didn't even have time to look up, let alone cry out.

After a long, strained pause, Silkie burped out a brown and white hairball, and then looked at Starfire with a vaguely apologetic expression.

Robin closed in on Starfire, and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. She twitched but kept staring at Silkie.

"So Silkie saves the day, huh..." he said shakily.

"Apparently it is so," she replied in a monotone, twitching again.

They both looked at Silkie for a long, long time.

"That was actually a little creepy, I think," Robin said finally.

"I must agree." Starfire said.

He sighed and hugged her, and she let him.

-Line Break-

There was no way they were gonna be able to fix up the tower by night time, so they all decided to just let it be a total wreck until tomorrow. Everyone wanted to eat and shower and sleep. The only problem was, most of their food had been eaten (they ordered pizza... and boy was the delivery man weirded out!), and the showers were broken (they used washrags to get sort of kind of semi-clean), and the beds were all torn up and nasty.

Beast Boy and Jasiri were delighted to discover that _their_ rooms were the only ones in the whole tower to be mostly unharmed! The door was ripped off, but other than that it was fine, so they hung a drape in the doorway for a little privacy.

Raven thought it was because even gremliny little monsters couldn't stand the smell. But for whatever reason, they were the lucky ones, and they _did_ have extra beds although Jasiri's were technically hammocks, so they offered to share with the others. They thought the girls could bunk with Jasiri while the boys could bunk with Beastboy. But for some reason Beastboy didn't want to leave Jasiri's side so they stayed in BB's room while the rest stayed in Jas's.

Secretly Beastboy was a little pleased that they didn't even think to be worried of him peeping on Jasiri or anything like that even though they were dating. Especially since he wouldn't, he was _way_ more mature than that! Unless it was like an accident or something. A dude couldn't help accidents.

But mostly it just felt like a sleepover, and that was how he treated it. Except they were both way too tired to do any of the fun sleepover stuff like making shadow animals or telling ghost stories. Instead, they talked haltingly, awkwardly, about Tobi and all the gremlins with Starfire when she stopped by. Somehow it seemed right that that little jerk had died in a totally goofy way. It fit with the whole silliness of the gremlinvasion, as Beast Boy and Jasiri were now calling it.

Silly bad guys should die in silly ways, just like Bob the evil tofu alien. Except, he was really pissed and a little depressed that after all the hard work he'd gone to with Starfire and Jasiri to take care of Tobi, that the little guy had turned out to be a traitor. That was kinda one of those bitter things to swallow. Bitter pills, yeah. And the more you swallowed the more bitter it got, you never got used to it.

"S'just like Terra," Beastboy mumbled, staring up at the bottom side of the bunk Jasiri was stretched out on. "We try so hard to be all nice and stuff, and Raven's the suspicious one, and Raven always gets to be right. S'not fair. I just get so sick of her being _right_ all the time. You know?"

Before Starfire or Jasiri could reply, though, a quiet voice started singing through the curtain covering the doorframe. Self-conscious and delicately rough, it took a few seconds for Beast Boy to even recognize it.

"_It's natural to dwell over things that went wrong... but you have to recall that all along... there've been many more times when love was returned... so don't feel too sad for the times you get burned._"

Starfire, Jasiri and Beast Boy sat up and looked towards the doorway in mutual astonishment, but Raven was already gone. After that Starfire went to her temporary room and they got some sleep. After all they had a lot of work to do the next day.

-Line Break-

"Again she defeats me! Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way? Ah yes the way to beat your enemy is to strike through the heart!" Black Mamba said as she researched online for a way to make the Titans completely helpless

"Perfect." Black Mamba said as she found a website called nereidum in historia dot com.

-Line Break-

**Me: Thus ends another chapter of A wild Safari. What will happen next? Well I know but you don't. Also I have left a clue in the chapter somewhere in the chapter that tells you what comes next. Find it and win your OC in this fic! Well I have to go see ya. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to type next non-gremlin chapter***


	18. Chapter 18

**Me: Already the next chapter. Man I work fast.**

**Jasiri: Yeah you do and thanks for fixing the tower.**

**Me: No problem also I am truly sorry for this chapter.**

**Jasiri: Why?**

**Me: Let's just say you have to read and everyone is gonna end up being shot by a ray gun.**

**Jasiri: WHAT?!**

**Me: Oh no worries you'll all survive except for a few side effects hey is that Jinx?!**

**Jasiri: Where?! Wait a minute *Sees I'm long gone* Great she leaves me to start the story. Just perfect. Chavonnie26 or as I like to call her the Chicken only owns herself (as Auertisse) obviously and me no matter how much I don't want her to. Thanks to rinpup14 and IrationalFear for reviewing. Oh Jinx I got a present for you. *Holds a left over tied up gremlin behind her back***

-Line Break-

"Hey guys how did the tower get fixed so fast?" Jasiri asked when she woke up the next day to a cuddling Beastboy and a fully fixed tower.

"I have no clue." Beastboy said still holding onto her waist.

Ding dong. Those two words were all it took for a mad dash to the door to begin. Somehow Jasiri won even though she just got her cast off that day. (**Me while in a panic room: I have no clue how long it takes a broken bone to heal so just bear with me**)

"Here's your mail." A mail man said as he handed Jasiri a rectangular box with her name on it.

"Thanks." Jasiri said as she signed her name.

"So how's yours and BB's relationship? We saw you sleeping together last night, care to comment?" The mail man asked as paparazzi appeared out of nowhere.

"That's none of your business!" Jasiri yelled as she slammed the door in their faces.

"What you get?" Beastboy asked his girlfriend when she sat down on the couch again.

"Not sure." Jasiri said as she looked for the sender's name but couldn't find it.

Shrugging she ripped open the package and found an antique book that had the title 'Ducem nereidum'.

"Ok who would send me a book?" Jasiri asked as she opened it to a random page and saw a detailed picture of her but as a lion fish hybrid and the words 'fortis leo piscis' under it.

"Whoa freaky." Jasiri said as she flipped through the book and found it filled of descriptions and drawings of mermaids.

Suddenly a card fell out of the book. It read 'This will help, I hope, from a good friend' in a messy yet still readable script.

"I told her I didn't want any more help." Jasiri muttered under her breathe as she read the book more carefully and saw pictures of her friends but as mermaids.

Suddenly the other Titans entered the room talking but went as silent and as shocked as Beastboy when they saw Jasiri reading what looked like one of Raven's books.

"How did you get one of my books?" Raven asked when she got over her shock.

"It's not yours it's mine." Jasiri said not even looking up from the page she was on which had a detailed drawing of Raven as a mermaid with the words 'Libro piscis' underneath.

"You own a book?" Robin asked her as she turned the page and saw a picture of Robin as a merman.

"It just arrived in the mail. Now if you'll excuse me I have business to attend to." Jasiri said acting surprisingly like Raven.

Jasiri spent the rest of the day in her room only coming out to eat which worried everyone in the tower. She didn't even come out to play video games. In the end Beastboy went to check on her but before he could knock he heard voices coming from inside Jasiri's room.

"I told you I didn't want any more help from you!" Jasiri shouted with venom in her voice.

"Well I thought you could use it! You're about to face a threat that even I fear!" Another voice that sounded around about 14 shouted back.

The voice held something that Beastboy couldn't identify.

"You don't mean?!" Jasiri asked clearly scared as Beastboy pressed his ear against the door.

"I'm afraid so. She's back and already she's got Black Mamba under her control. I'm going to help whether you like it or not. I have to. The final battle's coming soon and it will take all of us to win. Oh by the way Beastboy you can come in now." The voice said as the door opened of its own accord depositing a confused Beastboy on the ground.

The owner of the voice was someone Beastboy had never seen before. Her hair was styled like Raven's but was a little longer and was a brown that put a tiger's eye gem to shame and her eyes we're almost like Jasiri's but darker and more soulful and mature. Her skin was a light tan and she was almost as tall as Cyborg. She wore a simple lavender long sleeve shirt with a blue butterfly, black jeans and grey and lavender sneakers.

"Hi I'm Auertisse." The girl said as the door closed again and Beastboy was surrounded by a sky blue glow and was lifted back to standing position.

"And you were also just leaving." Jasiri said as she looked ready to throw Auertisse out the window.

"Look he heard everything and most likely has questions so why not answer them now?" Auertisse asked Jasiri as she took a seat at her desk.

"Look you told me you'd stop meddling yet here you are meddling again!" Jasiri yelled at her almost having steam come out her ears in her anger.

"I told you she's back. If you think yesterday was bad then what's coming will be even worse. You can't hide everything from them." Auertisse said calmly.

Suddenly a bright blue light enveloped the tower and everyone was knocked out including Auertisse or as we know her Chavonnie26.

-Line Break-

"What happened?" Auertisse asked when she woke up.

She was the first one up.

"Oh no." she said when she saw everything was under water.

She hesitantly looked down and saw where her legs would normally be a light lavender tail was now. She was now an auctrix syreni or authoress mermaid.

"Great." She said as she looked over her responsibilities.

Jasiri was now a fortis leo piscis or brave lion fish and Beastboy was now a viridi maccus piscis or green clown fish.

"This is going to be harder than I thought." Auertisse said as she swam out of the room with Beastboy and Jasiri in tow to find the others.

She found the others in the common room still knocked out. Cyborg was now a Technicae artes piscis or a technological crafts fish, Robin was now a rationalis dux piscis or rational leader fish, Raven was now a tenebris libro piscis or dark book fish and Starfire was now a confidentes aurantiaco piscis or a confident orange fish.

"Oh this is just great." Auertisse said as she dropped off her cargo and swam out the window to find all of Jump City under water.

"Not even I can undo this on my own." Auertisse said as she swam to the roof of the tower to wait for the others to wake up.

She then used the time to get a better look at herself. Her tail was light lavender with blue butterflies up the side, her ears were fin-like, her eyes were also light lavender matching her tail, the fins jutting out her forearms were a sky blue the same as the butterflies up the side of her tail and her hair was now black and went down past her hips. Her shirt was still intact.

"This is just great." Auertisse said as she propped her head on her newly webbed hand.

"AHHHH!" Came a bunch of terrified shrieks from inside the tower.

"And here we go." Auertisse said as she swam back inside.

"Who are you and what have you done to the city?!" Robin shouted at her when she entered the common room.

"Please my powers aren't that strong." Auertisse said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Wait a minute do I know you?" Jasiri asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"Forget me already?" Auertisse asked as she examined her nails.

"Oh yeah how could I forget?" Jasiri asked as she looked ready to vaporise Auertisse with Cyborg's sonic cannon.

"Ok what is going on?!" Beastboy asked clearly confused as were the others.

"Do you want to explain or should I?" Auertisse asked Jasiri while taking a seat on the couch.

Jasiri glared at her and said nothing. Auertisse took that as her cue to explain what was happening. When she finished everyone looked fearful.

"So what you're saying is that an evil more powerful than Trigon is coming and the only way to stop it is by joining forces with the heroes of other dimensions?" Robin asked her when she finished.

"I'm afraid so." Auertisse said sadly.

"And Jasiri knew about this?" Robin asked her.

"Each dimension has a keeper. Someone who keeps _her_ out and occasionally meddles when it's needed. I'm your dimension's keeper. Each keeper choses one person to trust with the secret and I chose Jasiri against my better judgement. She was to find an army to help us and she did that." Auertisse said almost as if she was expecting to be struck by lightning for telling them.

"Let me guess first time?" Raven asked dryly as she tried to keep her now long purple hair out of her face.

"Yeah and I'm still pretty new to the job." Auertisse said as she looked out the window.

"We have to fix this now. If we don't by sunrise then it'll be permanent. Black Mamba is messing with things she has no clue about. We need to move now." Auertisse said as she swam out the window.

"So do we follow or what?" Beastboy asked.

"We follow." Robin said as he swam after Auertisse.

The rest of the Titans followed. They followed Auertisse to a suburban home that had a shield of air around it.

"This is the place." Auertisse said as she swam right into the shield.

Moment she was through the shield she turned back to normal with her clothes intact. Suddenly an army of what looked like Slade bots poured out if the house. The Titans were about to swoop in and save Auertisse but then she did something that completely surprized them. She snapped her fingers and all the Slade bots turned to grey goop.

"Follow me." Auertisse said as everyone came through the shield and turned back to normal.

She then walked through the goo like it wasn't even there.

"I'm starting to like her." Raven said as she followed her.

Everyone shrugged and followed. Beastboy tried talking to Auertisse during the walk but she didn't respond. She had her earphones in. Finally they reached Black Mamba's room. The door was completely black just like the owner's soul.

"Time for her to learn just what she's dealing with." Auertisse said as she touched the door and it turned into ashes.

Her eyes were glowing blue no irises or pupils just blue.

"Black Mamba it is time to face justice." Auertisse said but it sounded like more than one of her was talking at once.

Everyone else took that as their cue to run.

"Not going to happen." Black Mamba said as she stepped into the light.

"Then I guess you really don't know what you're dealing with." Auertisse said as she started glowing.

"Keepers were once called gods you know. Maybe you should tread more carefully next time." Auertisse said as Black Mamba found herself unable to move.

Auertisse raised back her fist and slammed it into Black Mamba's face with enough force to knock her out.

"Way too easy." Auertisse said as she levitated Black Mamba and bound her to the wall.

"Time to see how she accomplished this." Auertisse said as she searched for the machine.

Eventually she found it and shut it off but not before reversing the affects.

"I so should have gone into writing." Auertisse muttered as she dragged Black Mamba out the house to the waiting Titans.

"She's all yours." Auertisse said as she handed Black Mamba to Cyborg but the moment Cyborg had her she disappeared in a shower of black sparkles.

"Oh come on." Auertisse said as she stamped her foot.

"We'll get her next time." Jasiri said trying to calm her down.

A level 5 tantrum from a reality warper was not what they needed right then.

"I know that but seriously I can't go back until I have Black Mamba and you're not the only one that wants me out of here!" Auertisse said as she almost ripped her hair out in frustration.

"So wait a minute you're stuck here until you bring her to justice? Over Christmas? That's just plain unfair!" Cyborg shouted as the first snowflakes started to fall.

"Life got fair? Why wasn't I told?" Auertisse asked sarcastically.

"It's official I like you." Raven said as happily as her monotone could allow.

"Thanks." Auertisse said as she pulled a book out of nowhere.

"I would have guessed." Jasiri muttered under her breathe.

"Until Black Mamba is captured you're our responsibility so you're staying at the Tower." Robin said sternly.

"So long as there's a book store nearby I'm good." Auertisse said as she started reading her book.

"Oh great another Raven." Beastboy moaned along with Jasiri.

Both Raven and Auertisse glared at the two.

"Until we have your room ready you'll have to bunk with Raven is that ok with you two?" Robin asked them as they went home.

"Fine by me." Raven and Auertisse said in unison.

The rest of the day was spent getting the full story from Auertisse. After they got the full story Starfire dragged Auertisse to the mall for shopping. When they returned Auertisse couldn't be seen because of all the bags she was holding.

"Never again." Auertisse said in a growl as she went to drop off her new clothes in her shared room.

After they were put down she came back to the common room with her IPod and a book. She was even wearing a new outfit. She was wearing a sleeveless lavender shirt with a yin and yang symbol, a pair of black fingerless gloves, lavender boots and black jeans.

"You like?" She asked when she saw everyone was looking at her.

Everyone nodded as she took a seat next to Raven, took out her earphones and put them on. No one could get through to her for the next hour. The only time she took off her earphones was when she went to bed.

'_Well at least it's not as bad as last time_' Auertisse thought as she went to sleep.

-Line Break-

"You failed Black Mamba!" a voice that can only be described as pure evil shouted at her.

"Please forgive me. It was not my fault. It was that Keeper's fault." Black Mamba shouted trembling in fear of the darkness around her.

"Which Keeper?" the voice asked.

"Auertisse." Black Mamba said sacredly.

"Of course. That girl's been a thorn in my side for far too long. You will get another chance. Do not fail me this time." The voice said as everything around Black Mamba went black.

-Line Break-

**Me: And into the story I come. Wow that was a long chapter.**

**Jasiri: True and I forgive you.**

**Me: Thanks also anyone who has any ideas please send them in. I'm not out of ideas or anything it's just I want some extra ideas just in case the ever infamous writer's block hits. BTW Auertisse means Warp in Latin. Well I have to go. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts to type new chapter while drinking a banana smoothie***


	19. Chapter 19

**Me: Already the next chapter. Man I work too fast for my own good.**

**Jasiri: No joke also if you don't like me so much why am I your muse?**

**Me: If I could pick my muse then it wouldn't be you now would it? Also happy Easter everyone! *Rests sore stomach from all the chocolate I've eaten* Never again will I eat so much chocolate.**

**Jasiri: Please by tomorrow you'll be eating chocolate like a maniac again.**

**Me: I hate it when you're right. Lucky for everyone that doesn't happen very often. I own only Jasiri and myself as Auertisse. Also my nightmare unfortunately. And everything in this chapter is made up especially the nightmare.**

-Line Break-

That night was not a good one for Auertisse. She had nightmare after nightmare and didn't get any sleep. When Jasiri came to wake up her and Raven the next day she was blasted into the wall by a wave of sky blue energy.

"Not a morning person. Good to know." Jasiri said as she slid down the wall.

As Auertisse walked out the room the first word that came to Jasiri's mind was 'Awful'. And it was true. Auertisse looked awful. She had layers of bags under her eyes and her skin was almost as grey as Raven's. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was a rat's nest.

"Not one word." Auertisse said her voice a growl.

When Auertisse entered the common room everyone nearly dropped what they were doing in shock of her appearance.

"Don't even ask." Auertisse said as she went to the kitchen and made herself some coffee.

As she sipped her coffee she seemed to become more like herself but she still looked awful.

"So what happened? Bad night?" Beastboy asked her when she seemed less aggressive.

"Terrible. Nightmare after nightmare." Auertisse said shortly as she pulled out her book.

"That explains why we were chased by shadow monsters last night." Robin said sleepily.

The only people who weren't chased or woken up by the monsters were Raven, Auertisse and Jasiri.

"Sorry about that." Auertisse said as she started reading.

"Care to tell us what your nightmares were about?" Cyborg asked her hoping that by talking about the nightmares it might stop them.

"No." Auertisse said coldly as she put in her earphones.

In a few minutes she was asleep even though the music she was playing was deafening loud. Suddenly she started floating and twisting and turning. Her face was contorted in an expression of fear and pain.

"Get away! Get away!" Auertisse shouted as she started crying without opening her eyes.

Everything in the room started floating and flying around the room.

"Raven we need to get in her mind! NOW!" Robin shouted as he ducked to avoid a flying couch.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted as everyone became cloaked in black and disappeared.

-In Auertisse's mind-

'_Can't stop running or else they'll catch me!_' a 6 year old Auertisse thought as she ran through the woods of her home.

"Get back here you freak!" Came her father's voice as a gunshot sounded in the distance and a bullet came inches from hitting her.

"You deserve to be in a cage!" Her mother shouted as she kept running.

Tears started streaking down her face. A tree nearby her exploded in a shower of sky blue sparkles.

'_I need help. Please anyone help me!_' Auertisse thought as she climbed up a tree to escape her pursuers.

Suddenly she was surrounded by darkness.

"My, my, little girl. Got your powers already? Impressive. And powerful as well. A fine addition to my army. Please tell me your name." a voice that was pure evil said in the darkness.

"Who are you?" Auertisse asked sacredly as her fists started glowing blue without her noticing.

"I am the one who will show you how to use your powers." The voice said as the darkness wrapped around her like a blanket.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Auertisse said as she started glowing.

In a burst of blue energy the darkness was pushed back far enough for Auertisse to see that she was still in the woods.

"Foolish girl! You have no idea what you're dealing with!" the voice said as the darkness collected into one point and turned into a shadow of a woman.

"I don't need to know! What I need is to get rid of you!" Auertisse said as she ran towards the shadow but was thrown back by a black band of energy.

"You really have no clue what you're getting into." The shadow said as it floated closer to her.

"Actually I do. You're the villain I'm the hero. What more is there?" Auertisse shot back while bound to a tree.

Her clothes were ripped and slightly charred from her earlier energy blast.

"So naïve. How you were chosen to be a Keeper is beyond me." The shadow said as it caressed her cheek.

"You really don't know anything about me do you? 'Cause if you did then you'd know I never give up!" she shouted as a tree slammed into the shadow.

"Still so raw. Join me and I can show you how to warp time and space as naturally as breathing." The shadow said as it got back up off the ground.

"The day that happens is the day I eat tofu." Auertisse said as she charged at the shadow but tripped and fell.

Suddenly everything around her started warping until she was in a training arena full of people.

"Get up you lazy bum!" her training master yelled at her.

'_So tired. Can't go on_' Auertisse thought as she tried to get up.

Her powers then flared up again. Her eyes glowed blue, her hair turned ice blue and her skin turned snow white. Actual snow white. A wave of blue energy came off her and destroyed the arena.

"Not again." Auertisse said as she collapsed from the exhaustion.

Everything started blurring until she was outside her old principal's office but still 6 years old.

"That girl is a menace! She can't even get the basics right! And even when she does use her powers it usually ends up with someone in the infirmary!" her old principal shouted at her training master from inside the office.

"I know that! But no one else will dare train her!" her training master shouted back as Auertisse felt tears come to her eyes.

She then took off running. Her surroundings kept blurring showing horrible memories as she aged while she ran. Her surroundings showed each of her mistakes and failures until she just couldn't take it anymore and collapsed crying.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder so she looked up to see Raven looking at her.

"Stay away from me! I don't want to hurt you too!" she yelled as her hair turned ice blue, her skin snow white and her eyes completely blue.

"It's just a dream." Raven told her as the other Titans appeared.

"Get AWAY!" Auertisse yelled as a pulse of blue energy came off her and hit the Titans.

"No." Auertisse said as she took off running again.

When she stopped she found herself at her old sanctuary. It was a small cave right by a river. It was very remote so she didn't have to worry about hurting anyone.

"Not again." She said as she collapsed from exhaustion.

"All alone in the world aren't we Auertisse?" the shadow asked as it came out of nowhere.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Auertisse yelled as another wave of energy came off of her and hit the shadow.

"Touchy. Fine I'll go but my offer still stands." The shadow said as it disappeared.

"You know she's trying to control you right? By giving you these nightmares." A voice said from behind her.

She turned to see her best teacher. She wore a yellow cloak that hid all her features.

"I don't know what to think anymore." Auertisse said as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Come with me." Her teacher told her and she followed without question.

-Back in the real world-

"Ow." The Titans moaned as they were forcefully thrown out of Auertisse's mind.

The common room was a complete mess.

"So what now?" Beastboy asked from his landing place atop the fridge.

"We wait for her to wake up on her own." Raven said from her landing place in the wall while looking at the still floating Auertisse.

-Back in Auertisse's mind-

Auertisse was not expecting what she saw in front of her. It was a large library and inside was book after book of her memories. But what shocked her more was when her teacher removed her hood and showed that she looked just like Auertisse except with glasses.

Her teacher then explained everything to her.

"So what you're saying is that you're my emoti-clone for wisdom and my other teachers were my other emotions." Auertisse asked Wisdom while sitting down on a very plush chair.

"Indeed my student. It is now time for you to wake up. We emoti-clones will take care of your nightmare problem now scoot little one." Wisdom said as Auertisse started glowing white and fizzled out of existence.

"Teenagers." Wisdom said as she sipped her tea.

-Back in the real world-

"Man I got a headache." Auertisse said as she woke up.

"Glad to see you're awake." Wisdom said from across from her.

Auertisse glared at her as she stood up. The other Titans were staring at her and Wisdom.

"I guess I have some explaining to do. I guess I should start at the begging. I was born in a dimension called Potestas…" Auertisse said as she explained everything.

By the time she was done it was midnight. Everyone agreed it was time to go to bed. And for the first time in 8 years Auertisse got a good night's sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

**Me: Man I love chocolate but I hate what it does to me.**

**Jasiri while resting a sore stomach: Same. Oh how my stomach hurts.**

**Me: And you called me a chocoholic. Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 and rinpup14 for reviewing. It means a lot.**

**Jasiri: Chavonnie26 only owns me and herself as Auertisse now if you'll excuse me *Runs to a nearby bathroom*.**

**Me: I told you not to eat that giant chocolate bunny right after the caramel.**

-Line Break-

It was Christmas and a week after the nightmare incident. Raven and Auertisse became best friends in that short time. They had a lot in common and even gave each other tips on how to remain focused around Beastboy and Jasiri.

"Merry Christmas y'all!" Cyborg shouted so loud it could be heard all over the tower.

"Merry Christmas." Auertisse said cheerfully as she went to the kitchen to bake cookies.

"I didn't take you to be the baking type." Beastboy said when he smelled the sugar cookies Auertisse was baking.

"There's a lot you don't know about me. So when are the other Titans going to be here?" Auertisse asked while trying to get her hands out from her home dimension's recipe for soet kookies or sweet cookies.

"In a couple hours so we need this place spotless." Robin said coming into the room holding both cleaning supplies and Christmas decorations.

Auertisse rolled her eyes as they glowed blue. In a couple seconds the room was clean and decorated for the holiday.

"You're welcome. Can someone please help me get my hands out of here?" Auertisse asked while showing off the fact that her home dimension's food is immune to her powers as well as a better bondage agent that glue.

In the end it took everyone to pry the bowl off her hands.

"Can you give me the recipe? I've been looking for a new glue." Robin asked her when he saw she was stuck to the roof by her hands which were covered in dough.

"Sure. Uh oh." With those two words she fell as the dough gave out.

"Forget it." Auertisse said as she clapped her hands, which got stuck together, and the kitchen was filled with baked goods for everyone even the vegans.

"Looks like we're good on the snacks." Raven commented dryly as Auertisse washed her hands finally getting the gunk off.

-At the party-

"All right people we have a special request to sing from a new Titan so why don't you come on up?" Cyborg announced at the party as Auertisse came up to the make shift stage with a guitar in her hand.

"This is a song from my home dimension that never really made sense to me until I became a Keeper. I hope you like it." Auertisse said as she took a seat on the stool provided and started playing her guitar.

"What if ribbons and bows didn't mean a thing?

Would the song still survive without five golden rings?

Would you still wanna kiss without mistletoe?

What would happen if God never let it snow?

What would happen if Christmas carols told a lie?

Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special

Something holy, not superficial

So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

So here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something more

What if angels did not pay attention to

All the things that we wished they would always do?

What if happiness came in a cardboard box?

Then I think there is something we all forgot

What would happen if presents all went away?

Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special

Something holy, not superficial

So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

So here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something more

We get so caught up in all of it

Business and relationships

Hundred mile an hour lives

And it's this time of year

And everybody's here

It seems the last thing on your mind

Is that the day holds something special

Something holy, not superficial?

So here's to Jesus Christ who saved our lives

It's something we all try to ignore

And put a wreath up on your door

But here's something you should know that is for sure

Christmas must be something

Christmas must be something

Christmas must be something more

There's gotta be more

There's gotta be more." Auertisse sang in a clear almost angelic voice.

It swept a lot of people to tears just from that one song.

"Thanks for listening." Auertisse said as she got off the stage.

The rest of the party was jolly good fun. For everyone except Auertisse. No one would dance with her for some reason.

"Why is it always like this?" Auertisse asked herself as she drank some punch.

"You alone too?" a voice from behind her asked nearly startling her into dropping her punch.

Auertisse turned to face Herald.

"Care to dance?" Herald asked her while offering his hand.

"Sure." Auertisse said as she took his hand and finally joined everyone on the dance floor.

"So you're from Potestas huh?" Herald asked her as they danced.

"Yeah you been there?" Auertisse asked him trying to make small talk.

"Yeah beautiful forests." Herald said as he remembered her dimension.

Suddenly every light in the room exploded and all the shadows wrapped around the occupants in vice-like grips.

"Oh no she's here." Auertisse said sacredly as her hair turned ice blue, her skin pure white and her eyes completely blue.

'_You can do this just concentrate'_ Auertisse thought as she let loose a wave of energy that only hit the shadows.

"Well look who finally got that move down." The only surviving shadow said in _her_ voice.

The other Titans dropped to their knees in pain.

"Leave my friends alone! This is between you and me!" Auertisse said still in her super charged form.

"Perhaps but they're so much fun and tasty too." The shadow said as it floated closer to Raven.

"If you didn't hear me the first time I said LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Auertisse yelled as she blasted the shadow away from Raven and into the middle of the room where there were no other people.

"Retro ad vestram dimensionem vos malos umbra!" Auertisse yelled at her as the shadow disappeared in a shower of blue sparkles and everything went back to normal.

"Sorry about that." Auertisse said as she looked like she wanted to melt into the floor.

"Hey we understand. We all have enemies." Kid Flash said as he shook his head to clear it from what happened.

"Thanks." Auertisse said as everyone went back to what they were doing.

"I believe you still owe me a dance." Herald said from behind her.

"I believe I do." Auertisse said as she turned around and started dancing with him.

For the rest of the party Herald and Auertisse were inseparable. They talked about other dimensions and their common interests. The party was a huge success including the secret Santa. It was a merry Christmas even if the shadow did show up.

-Line Break-

**Me: Wow me and Herald. Even I didn't see that coming.**

**Jasiri hopefully: So are you going to join Titans South?**

**Me: Nope.**

**Jasiri with drooping ears: Oh perfect.**

**Me: Enough belly aching. Well I have to go. See ya. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts to write another chapter***


	21. Chapter 21

**Me: Man I work too fast but in retrospect I guess it's a good thing. **

**Jasiri while doing the conga: Finally she's going!**

**Me: Who said I was going anywhere?**

**Jasiri: But I thought…**

**Me: You do realize we're confusing our audience right? I own only myself (as Auertisse) and Jasiri. Big thanks to rinpup14 and Moonlesscat (Guest) for reviewing. Now onto the chapter.**

-Line Break-

It was New Year's Eve at Titans Tower and everyone was getting ready for the fireworks later that evening.

"Look out!" Auertisse yelled as she fell off the Tower.

Those ledges were slippery from the night before's rain.

"I got ya." Starfire said as she caught her.

Those English lessons were really paying off.

"Thanks. Man those ledges are slippery." Auertisse said as Starfire put her on the ground gently.

"Uh oh run!" Auertisse yelled as she felt another power glitch coming on.

"Power glitch!" Starfire yelled as everyone ducked and covered.

Moment they were out of sight a wave of blue energy came off Auertisse.

"Man I hate when that happens." Auertisse said when the power glitch was over.

"Sorry guys but hey they're getting less frequent." Auertisse said trying to look on the bright side as everyone came out from their hiding places.

"True. It was the least powerful yet." Cyborg said as he got the readings from the blast.

Suddenly music started playing from nowhere.

"Oops sorry I'll turn it off." Auertisse said as her eyes started glowing.

"No it's cool. Your home dimensions music is pretty cool to work to." Beastboy said as he started dancing to one of Auertisse's favourite songs.

"Let's get back to work then!" Auertisse said as a more upbeat song started playing.

With the music playing the work was more fun and they were done in no time.

"And there. How does it look?!" Auertisse asked Cyborg as she put the finishing touches on the tower.

"It looks great! Now get down from there before we have to explain to Herald that his girlfriend went splat!" Cyborg shouted as Auertisse blushed for the first time since she knew the Titans.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Auertisse shouted as she teleported back down to the ground.

"Looks like we're done." Robin said hoping to diffuse the situation.

"Yeah we are." Auertisse said as she entered the tower to get ready for that night.

-3 minutes and 43 seconds before midnight-

"Has anyone seen Raven and Auertisse?" Jasiri asked as she scanned the crowd for the two in question.

"Last I saw Raven was in her room and Auertisse was with Herald. Why you need 'em?" Beastboy asked Jasiri as he popped out of nowhere nearly giving poor Jasiri a heart attack.

"To set off the fireworks." Jasiri said as she found Auertisse talking to Herald and actually smiling.

"Maybe the fireworks can wait." Jasiri said as she dragged Beastboy to the dance floor.

"All right y'all it's almost time so bring that special someone close for the slow dance." Cyborg announced as he took Bumble Bee's hand and led her to the dance floor.

"Care to dance?" Herald asked Auertisse as the couples went out to the dance floor.

"I would be delighted." Auertisse said as Herald led her to the dance floor.

The song that was playing was a song from Auertisse's home dimension. It was called Count on Me by Big Time Rush and Jordin Sparks. When the song was done it was 3 seconds till midnight.

"3,2,1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!" All the Teen Titans shouted in unison at midnight.

Herald and Auertisse kissed on the Happy New Year and surprisingly nothing exploded.

"Wow." Auertisse said dreamily.

"Definitely." Herald said just as dreamily as they continued dancing.

The rest of the party was a great success. Auertisse and Herald agreed to a semi-long distance relationship. They would be going out each Saturday night. Everyone had a great time and for the first time in Auertisse's and second time in Jasiri's histories with parties nothing bad happened.

-Line Break-

"Blast that girl but no matter she will join me or be destroyed like the rest." The shadow said as it gazed at countless maps and pictures of villains.

"Perhaps this Brother Blood could be useful." The shadow said as it looked at a picture of an evil looking Cyborg.

-Line Break-

**Me: And the shadow recruits Blood. Man I'm good at drama.**

**Jasiri: Oh how I know it! This ain't a story it's a soap opera!**

**Me: Please it's not that bad. See you all next time. Chavonnie26 GO! *Relaxes with a good Fanfiction story***


	22. Chapter 22

**Me: Ok first off I want to say I'm sorry about the last chapter being so short and second off I'm sorry about the wait for this chapter. I got my hair dyed yesterday and I must say it looks great and the day before I had to take care of my brat of a brother. And finally third off I'm also in need of a few ideas. Eventually even the deepest wells run dry.**

**Jasiri: And I am thankful for that. When Aspies do drama it usually ends badly for the cast.**

**Me: What does being an Aspie have to do with my writing ability? **

**Jasiri: Nothing please don't hurt me!**

**Me: Good. So could you please do the disclaimer?**

**Jasiri: Chavonnie26 owns only me and herself as Auertisse. Also big thanks to Moonlesscat (Guest) for reviewing thrice and to rinpup14 for reviewing.**

**Me: Good now onto the story *pops in some earphones and starts blasting pop songs***

- Line Break -

Ah camping. To most it's a time old tradition of family bonding and fun but for others….

"How many times do I have to say I am not going camping?!" Auertisse yelled at Robin.

So far they had been having this fight for about 2 hours and neither side was budging.

"I can order you to you know!" Robin shouted back at her.

It was one week into the New Year and he really didn't need this kind of stress already.

"Oh no extra chores that I can finish in a second. The horror." Auertisse said sarcastically.

"No you have to spend an entire day shopping with Beastboy, Starfire and Jasiri." Robin said as he finally won the argument.

A look of pure horror crossed Auertisse's face.

"You wouldn't." Auertisse said fearfully.

Spending the day shopping with Beastboy, Jasiri and Starfire was her definition of pure torture that no one should ever have to go through.

"I would now get packing." Robin said as Auertisse sulked off to her room to pack.

"Robin 1 Auertisse 0." Cyborg said as he mentally kept track of the arguments between Robin and Auertisse.

Man was he glad that he had to reset the scores for the New Year. Those two argued almost as much as him and Beastboy when it came to food.

- In Auertisse's room-

"I swear I will get back at Robin for this." Auertisse said as she packed her suitcase.

The Teen Titans had finally finished her room and it looked great. Her walls were lined with bookcases, her bed was the same as Raven's and oh yeah everything was either sky blue or lavender except for the books.

"Maybe I could ask Cyborg for some help." Auertisse muttered as she tried to get her suitcase to close from all the books she packed.

"Did someone say they want to prank our dear leader Ow ok who put that force field there?" Jasiri asked as she tried to enter Auertisse's room.

"Oh please no." Auertisse said as she turned to face one of her biggest annoyances.

"Look none of us want to go camping with Senor Serious this weekend so let's just bury the hatchet for this weekend and make sure we never have to go camping again deal?" Jasiri asked Auertisse as the other Titans appeared out of nowhere and nodded their heads in agreement.

"What can I do to help?" Auertisse said as she let everyone into her room to plan the ultimate plan of humiliation for Robin.

"Welcome to the dark side." Jasiri said evilly as she pulled out blueprints out of nowhere.

Auertisse gulped as a bit of her powers leaked out and gave her a new hairstyle. Her hair was now blue-black with some brown streaks and went down to her shoulders.

"Love the new do." Beastboy said as he sat down on the floor.

"Thanks." Auertisse said distractedly as she reviewed the plan for revenge.

'_This might just work_' Auertisse thought as she smiled evilly at the thought of what Robin's face would look like when they were done.

-That Weekend At The Camping Grounds-

"Alright team today we are here to have some fun." Robin said not knowing he was going to regret those words.

"Oh how true." Auertisse mumbled as she kept her poker face.

Years on the run had taught her a many great skills such as acting.

"First let's set up camp." Robin said as the tents set themselves up.

After an agonising day of camping activities Robin finally let them rest.

"Alright guys it's time for the campfire songs." Robin said as he tossed Auertisse her guitar.

"Not happening colour blind." Auertisse said, ready to get into another argument with Robin.

"Remember my threat." Robin said as Auertisse started playing her guitar in fear.

After a few songs everyone agreed it was time for bed except Robin. He was going to be on watch.

'_5 minutes till plan commences_' Raven said from her tent through the telepathic link between them.

'_That's my cue_' Auertisse thought as she slipped quietly out of her tent and into the forest without Robin noticing.

'_This is going to be fun_' Auertisse thought as she changed her appearance to look more ghostly and got ready to open a rip to the ghost zone.

'_Commence phase 1_' Auertisse said through the telepathic link once the 5 minutes were up.

With that she opened the rip between the two worlds and dragged two ghost teens through the rip. Both had white hair, neon green eyes and the ever famous DP symbol on their chests.

"Shhh I need your help on a prank. It will only take 5 minutes then I'll send you back. Please." Auertisse asked them quietly.

"Ok we'll do it." The male one said.

"Thanks Danny and Dani." Auertisse told them as they got into position.

"Time to get our scream on." Auertisse said as she started manipulating the shadows around Robin getting him worked up.

"Follow me." Auertisse said as she flew down to Robin's level.

"Robin." Auertisse said hauntingly.

"Robin." Dani and Danny said as they followed Auertisse's lead.

"Who's there?!" Robin yelled looking around for whoever was calling him.

"It's time for you to get your scream on." Auertisse said as music started playing out of nowhere.

"Ey! Ey! Eyy!  
Lost in the dark it's midnight (midnight)  
Stuck in between I can't hide (can't hide)  
Everywhere I turn they're out to get me on their side  
I'm freaking out in My my my my my mind  
There's something in the air  
There's shadows everywhere  
Never been so scared beware  
Bewar-ar-ar-ar-are  
I got my scream on  
I feel the vibe (Oh Yeah)  
I'm torn between there and here  
I got to choose the side  
I'm on before the break of dawn (yeah)  
I Got My Scream On." Auertisse sung as she, Dani, Danny and the other Titans came out from the shadows to scare Robin.

Beastboy was in his beast form, Raven was in her demon form, Jasiri was a vampire bat hybrid, Starfire was a zombie and Cyborg was still in the shadows recording everything.

"Creeping around this madness (madness)  
No horror flick can top this (top this)  
Even in my heart they got me so divided  
Got to take control just sto-o-o-o-o-o stop it  
There's something in the air  
There's shadows everywhere  
Never been so scared beware  
Bewar-ar-ar-ar-are  
I got my scream on  
I feel the vibe (Oh Yeah)  
I'm torn between there and here  
I got to choose the side  
I'm on before the break of dawn (yeah)  
_[2x]_ I Got My Scream On  
I just got to scream  
I just got to scream  
(yeah) I just got to scream out  
I just got to scream  
I got my scream on  
I feel the vibe (Oh Yeah)  
I'm torn between there and here  
I got to choose the side  
I'm on before the break of dawn (yeah)  
_[2x]_ I Got My Scream On." Auertisse sang as they thoroughly freaked Robin out enough that he would never want to go camping again.

"MONSTERS!" Robin screamed as he ran out of the woods at warp speeds.

"That worked. Great job guys. If we're lucky we'll never have to go camping again. Thank Danny and Dani." Auertisse said as she sent Dani and Danny home again and turned everyone back to normal.

"Shall we go home?" Auertisse asked as the camping gear disappeared.

"YES!" Everyone said excitedly as Auertisse teleported them all back to their rooms at the tower.

'_That was actually more fun than I thought_' Auertisse thought as she went to sleep in her nice soft warm bed. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

-Line Break-

"Hmm maybe this Warp fellow could help as well?" The shadow said as it held up a picture of a man with a ridiculous costume.

"To Paris then." The shadow said as it disappeared.

-Line Break-

**Me: Finally done.**

**Jasiri: I know and I love your new hairstyle. Black-Blue hair really suits you.**

**Me: Why thank you. Now to all you artists out there I am officially asking you to draw the cast of this fic. Please. I'm desperate for a good cover image. Well I'll see you all next time. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts celebrating because of number of reviews***


	23. Chapter 23

**Me: Oh heavenly light and angel chorus how I have missed you. Oh sorry about that but I'm just glad for some more inspiration. I hope everyone likes time travel 'cause that's what we're doing today. And before Jasiri can bring down my self-esteem, I own only Jasiri, the Titan's kids and myself. Now onto the fic.**

-Line Break-

Ah the holidays before Valentine's Day. For most it's a wonderful time of trying to find that perfect gift for your loved one but for the Titans…..

"No fair you cheated!" Cyborg yelled as Jasiri beat him again.

Everyone but Starfire was in the common room. Jasiri, Beastboy, Robin and Cyborg were playing and arguing about video games while Auertisse and Raven were reading and trying to tune them out. Auertisse even had her earphones in.

"Happy Blorthog everyone!" Starfire said as she entered the common room with her arms full of presents only to be ignored by everyone.

Starfire attempted to get everyone's attention but in the end only got one of the necklaces she was carrying destroyed.

"STOP IT!" Starfire yelled so loud Auertisse (Who was still wearing her earphones) actually went under the couch in fright.

"Next time a simple tap on the shoulder would work Star." Auertisse said as she came out from her hiding spot while removing her earphones.

"Uh oh we forgot again didn't we?" Beastboy asked Starfire.

Everyone but Auertisse and Jasiri looked sheepish. Auertisse and Jasiri just looked plain confused until Auertisse's face lit up as she pulled out a book from nowhere. After a few seconds of reading she looked just as sheepish as everyone else.

"Oopsie." Auertisse said as she prayed for the alarm to go off.

And as if answering her prayers the alarm went off. It was a robbery at the museum.

"TITANS GO!" Robin yelled as everyone raced out the door.

-At the museum-

"Ah the clock of eternity my original goal for coming into this barbaric time." Warp said as he approached the glass case it was in.

"Hey we're not that barbaric!" Auertisse said as she tossed a ball of blue energy at the time traveller that exploded on contact but didn't harm him.

"Ah Auertisse. You look so young but then again in my time you are 115." Warp said as he gazed at Auertisse.

"Ok now I know I'm gonna live a long life. Hands off the clock." Auertisse said as she jumped down from the balcony while the other Titans snuck up on Warp from behind.

"Now, now old timer I think you should rest." Warp said as he blasted Auertisse into a wall.

"Aw man you ruined my favourite top. Now I'm mad." Auertisse said as she saw her shirt was ripped up the side and then ran at Warp not knowing she was warping a time portal behind him that would take them both 20 years into the future.

"Ahhhh." Auertisse and Warp yelled as they fell through the portal that closed up behind them.

"You ruined my top now I'll ruin yours." Auertisse said as she yanked out the circle on Warp's outfit.

This resulted in an explosion that sent them both reeling back.

-With Auertisse-

"Man I hate it when my powers malfunction." Auertisse said as she got up from the snow bank she had fallen into.

"Oh inferna no." Auertisse said when she saw the neglected tower that stood before her.

"Hello anyone here?" Auertisse asked as she entered the tower.

"AH SPIDER!" Auertisse yelled when a spider that looked suspiciously like Cyborg came near her and she blasted it.

"YO WHO'S UP HERE BLASTING MY …. Aura?" a twenty years older Cyborg asked when he came into the room with a crowbar in his hand angrily at first then confused.

"Auertisse. I don't believe it. You…you haven't aged a day!" Cyborg said as he dropped the crow bar and walked up to her to make sure she was real.

"Let me guess I'm in the future aren't I?" Auertisse asked him as she used her powers to fix the tower up back to its former glory.

"20 years in the future actually." An older Bumble Bee said from inside the door way.

"Hey Bee." Auertisse said as a boy around 13 flew into the room.

The boy had black hair in corn row braids, black eyes, chocolate brown skin and a pair of yellow wings jutting out from his back. He was dressed in an all-black jumpsuit that had yellow accents.

"And who might this young man be?" Auertisse asked as he landed by Cyborg so she could see the similarities between the two.

"This is Mark or as he likes to call himself Wasp." Bumble Bee said as she came to stand by her son and husband.

"Note to self: start wedding gift shopping now." Auertisse said as she looked Wasp over.

"So any clues on how I get back home?" Auertisse asked when she was done looking him over.

"You could try what Star did when she was in this particular situation." Cyborg suggested though Auertisse looked confused.

"Or I could get help from the other Titans' kids!" Auertisse said in a eureka moment.

"Wasp you up for a little fun?" Auertisse asked him as he looked ready to kick Warp's rear end all the way to Arkaham.

"You know it." Wasp said as he started flying.

"So where are the others?" Auertisse asked as Bee handed her a map with the addresses on it.

"Looks like Jasiri and BB are up first." Auertisse said as she teleported herself and Wasp to the address.

What she saw surprized her. It was a typical suburban home with a white picket fence and everything.

"This can't be right." Auertisse said as she checked the address.

It was right.

"Oh I'm so gonna hold this over them." Auertisse said as she knocked on the door with Wasp behind her.

"For the last time we don't want any of your….. Auertisse?" An older Jasiri asked when she opened the door.

She was wearing a bandana to cover her lion ears and she was dressed in normal clothes.

"Here I thought that the strangest thing I would see today was Beastboy walking out of the bathroom in a pink robe." Auertisse said good humouredly.

"Quick come in." Jasiri said as she dragged Wasp and Auertisse through the door and into the living room where the curtains were closed.

"It's good to see you again. Gar honey could you come down here a second and bring the kids!" Jasiri yelled up the staircase.

"Coming Jas sweetie." An older Beastboy said as he came down the stairs with two kids who were obviously twins.

They both looked around 7. The girl had green skin, yellowish green eyes and black hair in multiple braids. While the boy had coffee brown skin, greenish yellow eyes and green hair that was in corn row braids. Both were wearing purple t-shirts, black jeans and purple converse.

"Auertisse but we thought?" Beastboy asked shell shocked at her appearance.

"Nothing is ever what it seems. Look I need your kids' help. I'm bringing together a new generation of Teen Titans to help me get home." Auertisse explained.

"Maua, Nguvu get into your costumes. It's time." Jasiri said as her kids' faces lit up and they ran to get ready.

"Please tell me they have control of their powers." Auertisse almost begged.

"They do and their superhero names are Beastia and Beastboy." Jasiri told her as the kids came back downstairs wearing different outfits.

Beastia wore a black cat-suit with gold accents with a gold paw print on her chest, gold boots and a gold mask that showed her eyes. While Beastboy wore his father's old uniform.

"Nice. Next up Star and Rob!" Auertisse said as she teleported herself and the kids to the next address.

When they were done teleporting the younger kids looked around in surprize of the new world around them.

"Stay with me." Auertisse said as she stared at the mansion in front of her.

"Come on let's move." Auertisse said when she got over her shock and walked up to the door.

Before she could even knock she was tackled by a very familiar blur.

"Easy Star some of us are actually breakable." Auertisse said when an older Starfire let go.

"I'm sorry but it's just so great to see you again. Luand'r would you please come down here?" Starfire called up the stairs as she led Auertisse and the children to a sitting room where an older Robin in a completely different costume was.

"Mom I told you to call me Luna." A twelve year old girl with jet black hair and Starfire's green eyes said as she came down the stairs.

She was wearing a blue version of Starfire's outfit that caused Wasp to drool a little.

"Great all that's left is Raven and Pyra's kids." Auertisse said as she got ready to teleport.

"Luna please be careful and Auertisse please tell Raven and Pyra I said hello." Starfire said as they teleported to Pyra and Speedy's house or should I say mansion.

"Oh come on how is it all my dad's old friends live better than my family?" Wasp asked when he saw the mansion.

"Big deal I lived for 8 years on the road all because of my faulty powers." Auertisse said as she walked up to the door and knocked.

"Auertisse!" A twenty years older Pyra yelled as she tackled her to the ground.

Auertisse and Pyra got along ok but weren't besties or anything.

"Good to see you too. Starfire says hi." Auertisse said as Pyra led her and the kids into the house.

"Strike get down here." Pyra yelled up the stairs as a thud could be heard.

"Coming mom." A seven year old boy said as he trudged down the stairs.

He had dark red hair that was casually spiked and was wearing what looked like Speedy's mask he was also wearing a green version of Speedy's uniform.

"Looks like we have an archer on our team sweet. Now let's see how my best friend is doing." Auertisse said as she and her band of 5 kids teleported to a creepy looking house.

"Wow nice I like it." Auertisse said as she rang the doorbell that sounded a lot like a funeral march.

"Auertisse is that you?" Raven asked from behind the door.

"Do you know anyone else brave enough besides Beastboy or Jasiri to ring _your_ doorbell?" Auertisse asked sarcastically while the smaller children hid behind her.

"Sarcastic and mocks Beastboy and Jasiri. Yup you're you." Raven said as she threw her arms around Auertisse in a rare hug.

"Mom what are you doing?" A female voice said from behind Raven.

The owner of the voice turned out to be a seven year old girl with grey skin, a red ruby in her forehead, black hair and purple eyes.

"Magpie this is my good friend Auertisse. Auertisse this is my daughter Magpie and no worries Cyborg and Bee already contacted me. Good luck." Raven said as Magpie came to stand by the little Beastboy.

"Next stop Warp." Auertisse said as they teleported to the museum where Warp was waiting.

"I've always wanted to say this. TITANS GO!" Auertisse yelled as she and the kids battled Warp and won.

"Let's see if I can get this right." Auertisse said as she created a portal to send her back to her own time.

"See you guys and welcome to the Teen Titans." Auertisse said as she went back to her own time line.

"Auertisse!" Raven yelled as she came out the portal a moment after she originally left.

"Sorry about the scare guys. Also you would not believe the dirt I have on all of you guys." Auertisse said as she teleported everyone home as she destroyed the piece from Warp's suit.

"Ok what happened?" Beastboy asked nervously.

Whenever Auertisse had dirt on anyone it usually ended badly for said person. Auertisse then explained what happened. When she was done everyone fell over in a dead faint.

"How did I know that would happen?" Auertisse said as she kicked back on the couch and started reading her book.

-Line Break-

"Why do my plans always fail? Perhaps I should wait until they are at their lowest then strike? Yes that will do nicely." The shadow said as it sat back and waited.

-Line Break-

**Me: And so ends another chapter. Also I want to apologise in advance. My aunt is coming from Scotland and she wants to keep me busy. She's going to be here for a month but luckily she doesn't arrive for another week. So I'll try to crank out as many chapters as I can but please be patient. Well I'll see you all next time. Chavonnie26 GO! *gets everything ready for my aunt's visit***


	24. Chapter 24

**Me: Man I'm tired.**

**Jasiri: Oh big deal you only had to clean your room *sees the pile of junk that came from my room* Whoa that's a big pile. What are you? A hoarder?**

**Me: No I just forget to clean my room is all and you're not one to talk. I still have an action figure head stuck in my nose from the last dirty clothes avalanche from your room.**

**Jasiri: I said I was sorry. Also why are we doing this again?**

**Me: Mainly because I want just a little bit of joy today. I just found out that I'm going to have to room with my brother for a whole month while my aunt is visiting.**

**Jasiri: You mean the same aunt that is going to keep you away from your computer for a month?**

**Me: The very one.**

**Jasiri: Man I love that woman *sees I'm ready to kill her with a lightning bolt* Uh Chavonnie26 owns only me, herself as Auertisse and the illness that she catches.**

**Me while still aiming the lightning bolt at Jasiri: Smart move now onto the fic. See you all at the bottom.**

-Line Break-

Ah spring time. The time where people are out and about enjoying the warmth and beauty that comes with it. Yes everyone loves spring. That is if you're not sick.

"ACHOOOO!" Auertisse sneezed as she lay in bed completely covered in blankets.

"Look I keep *sniffle* telling you guys *sniffle* I'm not sick *blows nose*" Auertisse told everyone through a stuffed up nose as they watched over her.

They figured that if they were in the same room as her they might actually stay alive if the illness affected her powers.

"Your temperature says otherwise." Robin told her while sitting on one of the bean bag chairs he brought in.

"Look I'm sure it's just allergies. Check the Book of Keepers if you don't believe me." Auertisse said as a big heavy book became shrouded in blue energy, floated over to above Robin's head and then landed on his head with a very loud THWACK.

"Oops." Auertisse said though it was pretty clear she didn't mean it.

"Ok let's see here." Cyborg said as he picked up the incredibly heavy book and opened it to the illnesses section.

"Uh oh." Cyborg said sacredly while rereading a certain paragraph in the book.

"What is it?" Robin asked even though he was still a bit dizzy from the book dropping on him.

"Says here she's got custos est scriptor influenza or Keeper's Flu. It lasts for about a week but the side effects are she can't use her powers without something going wrong and well let's just say we're in for a long week." Cyborg said as Auertisse started coughing and mini-wormholes appeared around the room.

"Seriously *cough*?" Auertisse asked in between coughs.

"Yup unfortunately." Raven said as she read more about it.

"Homini ego oderunt custos est scriptor influenza." Auertisse muttered under her breathe as she sneezed and accidently teleported herself to the common room's couch.

"Oh come on." Auertisse said as she sneezed again and turned a bright blue.

"This is going to be one long week." Auertisse said as she slowly drifted off to sleep despite Beastboy, Robin, and Jasiri playing video games right next to her. (Cyborg was in the garage working on the T-Car)

But during her sleep her powers leaked out and caused all kinds of hilarious situations.

"Dude I'm pink!" Beastboy yelled when Auertisse sneezed in her sleep and turned him a bright pink.

"YAHH I'M A GIRL!" Robin screamed in fright when Auertisse had a coughing fit in her sleep and turned Robin into a 17 year old girl.

"Yikes I'm blue!" Starfire yelled when Auertisse hiccupped in her sleep and turned her bright blue with green polka dots.

"I'm waking her." Raven said as she gentle woke Auertisse up.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Auertisse laughed when she saw what happened to Robin, Beastboy and Starfire.

"Sorry but you guys look ridiculous!" Auertisse said in between laughs as Cyborg walked into the room, saw what they looked like and started laughing as well.

"I don't know what you did but man I'm glad I installed those security cameras." Cyborg said in between laughs as Raven's lip quivered with suppressed laughter.

"YOU WHAT?!" Robin, Beastboy and Starfire yelled in unison.

"Uh oh AH AH AH ACHOOOO!" Auertisse said as she let loose the mother of all sneezes that turned everything back to normal.

"Uh oh *hiccup* now I have *hiccup* the hiccups." Auertisse as thing randomly started teleporting or transforming.

"RUN!" Robin yelled now a girl again as he/she ran out the door with a pink tutu wearing bear Cyborg, a bunny Raven, a pink Beastboy, an action-figure sized Jasiri and a polka dot Starfire.

None of the other Titans went back into the tower for the next week. Instead they stayed with the Titans East for the week and boy were the Titans East freaked out when they saw them but wasted no time in taking pictures of the teens. When the Titans West returned to their home they were shocked at what they saw.

Their tower now looked like a cross between Dracula's castle and a creepy wood.

"Nice." Raven said as they heard a sneeze come from the tower and it changed to a darker version of Disney Land.

"I thought she would be better by now." Robin said as the tower kept transforming with each sneeze, cough and hiccup.

Suddenly a large book shaped object came hurtling towards Robin and hit him I mean her I mean I don't know what I mean dead on.

"I swear this thing has it out for me." Robin said as Starfire lifted the book off him I mean her I mean you know what I mean.

"Ah here it is. If a Keeper does not receive treatment within 24 hours of contracting the virus she/he will remain sick for an additional 2 days. To instantly cure the illness the Keeper must consume a Tameranian delicacy renowned for curing even the most persistent of illnesses." Raven read while holding the book up with her powers.

Everyone looked at Starfire expectantly.

"Uh how do I put this? Um all my ingredients are in the tower." Starfire said nervously as she pointed to the currently chocolate tower.

"So who wants to go first?" Cyborg asked as he kept trying to remove the pink tutu but more kept appearing.

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy then looked at the tower but in fear.

Meanwhile with Auertisse in the tower…

"O quando, quando Custodibus

Vade gradiens in

O quando, quando Custodibus ingrediébar gradiens in

O tot volo

Quando Custodibus ingrediébar gradiens in

O quando, quando heroum

Coeperit dimicare

Oh oppugnare virum

O tot volo

Cum heroes coeperit dimicare

O quando, quando supplementumque

Incipe ad erudiendam

O quando, quando supplementumque incipiunt exercebuntur

O tot volo

Quando supplementumque incipiunt exercebuntur

Unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex, septem

O quando, quando Custodibus

Vade gradiens in

O quando, quando Custodibus ingrediébar gradiens in

O tot volo

Quando Custodibus ingrediébar gradiens in

Quando Custodibus

Vade gradiens in!" Auertisse sang at the top of her lungs as the fever took over and made her act loopy. (**Me: See the translation for the song at the bottom**)

"*hiccup* Man I never thought tofu could *sneeze* taste so good *cough*" Auertisse said as she stumbled around her room like she was drunk.

"I've finally lost it *sneeze* and Beastboy and Jasiri weren't the cause." Auertisse said as she collapsed on her bed.

"Wait a minute *sneeze* didn't Star mention *cough* a soup that would cure anything?" Auertisse said as she got off her bed and went to the cook book section of her books and pulled out one that had weird symbols on it.

"Perfect." Auertisse said as she went into a coughing fit and turned everything in her room pink.

Auertisse shook her head and headed for the kitchen coughing, wheezing, sneezing and hiccupping all the way. After about 20 minutes she was contentedly slurping on surprisingly great tasting soup while watching one of the shows from her home world. Shake It Up!

When she finished the soup she clapped her hands and all the mayhem from the last week was reversed and the Titans were unceremoniously dumped in a heap in front of her.

"Hey *sniffle* guys." Auertisse said as she helped herself to another serving of soup.

"Looks like you feel better." Robin said happy to be a dude again.

"Yup you'd be surprised how well Tameranian soup works on us Keepers." Auertisse said looking much better than she previously did.

"Yo check out what the security cameras recorded." Cyborg said as he played the footage from Auertisse's room when she was fever high.

Soon everyone but Auertisse was on the floor laughing.

"Don't laugh! It's a traditional Keeper song!" Auertisse said as she stormed off to her room leaving everyone still laughing.

-Line Break-

"Blast a wasted opportunity but no matter soon she will be mine." The shadow said as it watched the laughing Titans on the monitor in front of it.

-Line Break-

**Me: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oops sorry I'm just tired. *Yawns* Big thanks to Moonlesscat (Guest) for reviewing and here's the translation for the song.**

**Oh when the Keepers**

** Go marching in**

** Oh when the Keepers go marching in**

** Oh I want to be in that number**

** When the Keepers go marching in**

**Oh when the heroes **

**Begin to fight**

** Oh when the heroes begin to fight**

** Oh I want to be in that number**

** When the heroes begin to fight**

**Oh when the recruits**

**Begin to train**

** Oh when the recruits begin to train**

** Oh I want to be in that number**

** When the recruits begin to train**

** One, two, three, four, five, six, seven**

**Oh when the Keepers**

** Go marching in**

** Oh when the Keepers go marching in**

** Oh I want to be in that number**

** When the Keepers go marching in**

** When the Keepers**

** Go marching in.**

**Still Me: Well good night everyone. Chavonnie26 GO! *Heads off to bed for a long night's sleep***


	25. Chapter 25

**Me: Hey everyone *yawns* sorry I got no sleep last night. Yet I have no clue why. It's like I had nightmare yet I don't remember any of them.**

**Jasiri: Maybe it's your guilty conscience?**

**Me: What guilty conscience?**

**Jasiri: From putting us through all that torture in this story.**

**Me sarcastically: Ha, ha, ha very funny. I can't believe I walked right into that one. Well before I can snooze off I want to give a big thanks to Moonlesscat (Guest) for reviewing and ps you might want to get your own account.**

**Jasiri: True and also *sees I'm fast asleep* wow she gets to sleep quickly. Chavonnie26 owns only me and herself as Auertisse. Now onto the chapter. *pulls out a black marker and starts to draw on my face***

-Line Break-

Ah movie night. The one night of the week where you can sit back with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy your favourite movies. And that was exactly what the Teen Titans were doing.

"So Auertisse what movie have you got for us this time?" Cyborg asked holding a giant bowl of popcorn.

"Unfortunately Beastboy and Jasiri finally wore me down so we are going to watch one of the movies I watched when I was a little girl." Auertisse said tiredly.

She had bags under her eyes and was yawning every two seconds.

"Sorry insomnia." Auertisse said as she put the DVD in the player and sat on the edge of the couch.

While the movie played and Beastboy and Jasiri enjoyed it, Auertisse crept closer and closer to falling asleep. When the movie finished everyone went to bed and almost immediately fell asleep but weirdly they all had the same dream.

-The Teen Titans' dream-

A mysterious warrior whose true identity is hidden underneath a wide brimmed hat and a flowing robe walks across a rugged valley.

"Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose Kung Fu skills were the stuff of legend." Beastboy's voice narrates as the warrior enters a seedy looking bar and sits down at a table with some tea.

"He traveled the land in search of worthy foes." Beastboy's voice narrated as the HIVE Five burst through the door and challenged the warrior.

"He was so deadly in fact that his enemies would go blind from overexposure to pure awesomeness." Beastboy continued narrating as the warrior fought against the HIVE Five and won.

Suddenly more villains flooded into the room and the warrior took them all on.

"It mattered not how many foes he faced. They were no match for his bodacity." Beastboy continued as the warrior skillfully took out all the ninjas with some awesome kung fu moves.

"Never before had a hero been so feared... and so loved." Beastboy continued as godlike rays shone down on the warrior.

"Even the most heroic heroes in all of China, the Furious Five, bowed in respect to this great master." Beastboy said as Raven, Jasiri, Robin, Cyborg and Starfire jumped down from their mountain and bowed down to the warrior.

"We should hang out." Cyborg said as he and the rest of the Furious Five stood by the warrior ready to fight.

"Agreed." The warrior said in a slightly squeaky voice.

"But hanging out would have to wait. `Cause when you're facing the ten thousand demons of Demon Mountain, there's only one thing that matters. And that's-"Beastboy started to say as the warriors leaped into action against thousands ninjas until he was interrupted.

"Beastboy! Wake Up!" Cyborg shouted in a weird voice.

"You'll be late for work!" Raven said in the same voice.

"Whu?" The warrior now known as Beastboy said as he woke up from the dream and fell onto the floor of his room with a loud THUD.

"Beastboy get up!" The weird voice said from downstairs.

"Coming sis!" Beastboy yells as he gets back up and we see that his room is filled with kung fu memorabilia including posters and figurines of Raven, Jasiri, Cyborg, Starfire, Robin and Auertisse.

Beastboy walked down the stairs into what appeared to be a kitchen where Pyra was busy cooking.

"'Bout time you woke up. I swear you sleep like the dead. So what was your dream this time? Fighting alongside the Doom Patrol or the Furious Five?" Pyra asked him while chopping some vegetables.

"Furious Five." Beastboy said as he started boiling some noodles.

"That explains the loud THUNK I heard." Pyra said as she served the food to waiting customers.

"Look BB you need to stop dreaming about going up there." Pyra said motioning to the large palace on top of the mountain.

"You know I can't. Someday I'm gonna join the Furious Five." Beastboy said with a wistful look in his eyes.

"I'll never understand you. Now get moving orders for tables 8, 12 and 1." Pyra said as she loaded Beastboy's arms with food and shoved him out the door of the kitchen.

Beastboy spares one more glance at the palace and then goes back to delivering the food.

Meanwhile at the palace Auertisse was sitting in lotus position and playing a flute while the Furious Five waited in the shadows to attack. And attack they did. But unfortunately for them they were all defeated quite quickly by Auertisse.

"Well done, students... if you were trying to disappoint me." Auertisse said while using her flute to correct their postures.

"Raven, you need more ferocity. Cyborg, greater speed. Starfire - height. Jasiri - subtlety. Robin- Accuracy." Auertisse said as she pointed to each person in turn with her flute.

They each bowed respectfully when their name was said.

"Yes master Auertisse." They said in unison as someone tapped Auertisse on the shoulder.

"Ah Speedy what brings you here?" Auertisse asked the palace messenger.

"Master Midnight wishes to speak to you." Speedy said professionally.

"The rest of practice is cancelled for today." Auertisse said calmly as she walked into the palace and went in search of Midnight.

Eventually she found her by the moon pool meditating with her mask off.

"Master Midnight you wished to speak to me?" Auertisse asked while bowing.

"Yes. I have had a vision. Slade will escape from prison." Midnight said calmly while turning around to face Auertisse.

"You are sure of this?" Auertisse asked her voice calm but you need only to look into her eyes to see the inner turmoil and effort to remain calm.

"I am certain." Midnight said still completely calm.

"Argent!" Auertisse called as the messenger came flying in.

"Fly to Chogun Prison and tell them to double the guards, double their weapons. Double everything! Slade does not leave that prison!" Auertisse ordered in a calm but stern voice.

Argent nodded and flew out the window to complete the task.

"One often meets her destiny on the road she takes to avoid it." Midnight said with a knowing smile.

"I am sorry Master but we have to do something. We can't let him march on the valley, and take his revenge! He'll, he'll-"Auertisse said as she slowly got worked up and Midnight walked over to the moon pool.

"Your mind is like this water, my friend. When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear." Midnight said as she tapped the water with her staff and it settled showing the reflection of an ornately carved dragon with a scroll in its mouth.

"The Dragon Scroll..." Auertisse said staring at it in awe.

"It is time." Midnight said also staring at the scroll.

"But who? Who is worthy to be trusted with the secret to limitless power? To become...the Dragon Warrior?" Auertisse asked as dramatic music started playing out of nowhere.

"I don't know." Midnight said thoroughly killing the dramatic moment.

-Line Break-

**Jasiri: Well Chavonnie's still taking a nap so I'm just gonna wrap up this chapter myself. Also whoever can appropriately match who's playing who gets an OC in this fic. I know I'm just an OC myself but I do have a little bit of power over the author. Well see you all. Jasiri GO! *Posts pictures of me with a drawn on beard, eyepatch and unibrow online***


	26. Chapter 26

**Me: And I'm back with another chapter. 4 days till she lands.**

**Jasiri: I know and I can't wait. *Does a very happy jig***

**Me while glaring at Jasiri: Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 and rinpup14 for reviewing.**

**Jasiri while still dancing: Chavonnie26 owns only me, Midnight and Herself as Auertisse. Pyra belongs to SkysFireLady15.**

**Me: Good now onto the fic.**

-Line Break-

Meanwhile at the noodle shop Beastboy is serving noodles while wearing an apron. Suddenly he notices a couple palace messengers are putting up a poster. He rushes over to read it.

"What? Master Midnight's choosing the Dragon Warrior! Today!" Beastboy said excitedly as he looked ready to race over to the Jade Palace.

But before he could do so he was trampled by a wave of people that ran or flew up to the palace. Luckily for Beastboy he was able to spring back up afterwards and ran over to his sister.

"Can I go? Please?" Beastboy asked her while turning into a kitten and giving Pyra the face.

"Alright but bring me back a souvenir." Pyra said as Beastboy raced off to the palace as a peregrine falcon.

But Beastboy arrives at the palace too late and is shut out of the covered arena.

"Aw dude!" Beastboy says as the festivities begin.

-Meanwhile in the arena-

Auertisse was both glowing with pride and slowly becoming a nervous wreck.

"Relax my friend. All will be well." Midnight said as she led Auertisse to the stage.

"I know but I just can't help worrying." Auertisse said as she made sure her kimono was on properly.

She hardly ever wore it since she preferred pants to dresses any day.

"Are your students ready?" Midnight asked Auertisse while straitening her own kimono.

"Yes. Let us begin." Auertisse said anxious to get started.

"Now know this, old friend. Whomever I choose will not only bring peace to the Valley, but also to you." Midnight said as they walked onto the stage to be greeted by a roaring crowd of super humans.

"Let the tournament BEGIN!" The announcer said causing the crowd to roar even louder.

-Back with Beastboy-

Beastboy kept pounding on the door and screaming to let him in until he spotted a window and looked inside the arena.

"Citizens of Jump Valley! It is my great honour to present to you... Raven! Jasiri! Starfire! Cyborg! Robin! The Furious Five!" Auertisse yelled as the Furious Five performed an aerial show of their kung fu and landed on the stage perfectly.

"Whoa the Furious Five!" Beastboy said as he stared at them but more at Jasiri than anyone else.

But suddenly a gust of wind closed the window and sent Beastboy flying back.

"Warriors prepare!" Auertisse yelled as Beastboy found a small crack in the wall to watch the performance through.

"Ready for battle!" Auertisse yelled as Beastboy caught a glimpse of Starfire firing up her starbolts.

"Yeah! Woo! The Thousand Tongues of Fire!" Beastboy said as someone blocked his view.

"Hey get out of the way!" Beastboy yelled as he tried looking around the fan.

Beastboy then tried all kinds of methods to get into the arena but each time fails until he was just sitting there dejectedly.

"And finally...Master Raven!" Auertisse yelled as Beastboy snapped to attention.

Beastboy then renewed his efforts.

"And believe me citizens, you have not seen anything yet!" Auertisse yelled.

"I KNOW!" Beastboy yelled as his latest attempt to get in failed.

"Master Raven! Face Iron Ox and his Blades of Death!" Auertisse yelled as Beastboy landed in the fireworks cart outside the arena.

-Inside the arena-

Midnight senses something and holds up her hand. The music immediately stops.

"I sense the Dragon Warrior is among us." Midnight said as Auertisse motioned for the Furious Five to gather in the center of the stage.

"Citizens of Jump Valley! Master Midnight will now choose...the Dragon Warrior!" Auertisse yelled as everyone waited with baited breath.

-With Beastboy-

"Huh? Oh no! Wait!" Beastboy yelled as he came to then saw the fireworks and had an idea.

A very Beastboyish idea. Soon he had a lot of fireworks strapped to a wooden chair. I know bad idea but hey he's Beastboy. Soon he's on the chair and lights the fuse while ceremonial music starts playing in the arena. Suddenly the fireworks go off and Beastboy is rocketed over the arena. Then the fireworks run out.

"Uh oh." Beastboy said as he fell down and crashed through the roof.

Just as Midnight was about to point at Raven causing her to point at him instead.

"Stercore." Auertisse said when she saw her new student.

Auertisse sent an apologetic look to her students as Beastboy came to.

"What's going on? Where...uh? What are you pointing-?" Beastboy asked as he got his bearings then figured out where he was.

"Oh. Okay. Sorry. I just wanted to see who the Dragon Warrior was." Beastboy said as he looked ready to turn into a fly.

"How interesting." Midnight said as she watched the green teen from behind her mask.

"Master, are you pointing at...me?" Raven asked hoping that it was a mistake.

"Him." Midnight said still pointing at Beastboy.

"Who-?" Beastboy asked as he tried to move out of the finger's direction but it followed him.

"You. The universe has given us the Dragon Warrior." Midnight said holding up Beastboy's scrawny arm for all the world to see.

Suddenly Wildebeest bangs the gong and the crowd goes wild! They cheer! They scream! Confetti falls!

A palanquin is carried past Auertisse and is bound for Beastboy. Beastboy is easily lifted on as Auertisse rushes desperately to Midnight's side.

"Master Midnight, wait! That scrawny teen can't possibly be the answer to... our problem. You were about to point at Raven. That thing fell in front of her. That was just an accident!" Auertisse said and it almost sounded like begging.

"There are no accidents." Midnight said as Beastboy was whisked away to the Hall of Heroes.

Midnight then left Auertisse's side as the Furious Five approached her.

"Forgive us master. We have failed you." Raven said while she and the others bowed to Auertisse.

"No. If the teen has not quit by morning, then I will have failed you." Auertisse said as she teleported to the Hall of Heroes while the Five stayed for the rest of the festivities.

-At Chogun Prison-

A huge prison is carved into the side of a frozen mountain. Fifteen stories of iron and rock. No windows. One door - locked, bolted and sealed tight. Hero guards in armour patrol the perimeter. Suddenly Argent flies into view and a sentry spots her. Soon she lands gracefully in front of the door and the guards point their spears at her.

"I bring a message from Master Auertisse." Argent said calmly even though she was being held at spear point.

_A moment later…._

"What? 'Double the guard? Extra precautions? Your prison may not be adequate!' You doubt my prisons security?!" The commander of the prison (Who was none other than Batman) asked angrily.

"No absolutely not. (Pause) Auertisse does. I'm just the messenger." Argent said surprisingly calm considering she was talking to _the _Batman.

"Well I have a message of my own for Auertisse." Batman said coldly as he took Argent on a tour of the prison which included showing her the only prisoner.

Slade. The name most feared in Jump Valley. When the tour was done Argent was more than ready to head back to Auertisse with the commander's message.

-At the Hall of Heroes-

"Dragon Warrior! Dragon Warrior!" The crowd chanted as Beastboy was thrown inside the hall and the doors closed behind him.

"Wait a second! Hello? Uh...I think there's been a slight mistake. Everyone seems to think that I'm, uh..." Beastboy started to say until he saw where he was.

"Dude! The Sacred Hall of Heroes. No way! Would you look at this place!" Beastboy yelled as he went from display to display knowing exactly what everything was.

He finally stopped at what looked like an ordinary urn.

"The legendary Urn of Whispering Warriors! Said to contain the souls of the entire Tenshu army." Beastboy said admiring the urn.

"Hello?" Beastboy asked into the urn.

"Have you finished sight-seeing?" Auertisse asked Beastboy from behind him.

"Sorry. I should've come to see you first." Beastboy said into the urn.

"You really are as dumb as a stack of bricks aren't you?" Auertisse asked him sarcastically still from behind him.

"Well you're not one to talk!" Beastboy yelled at the urn.

"Turn around you moron!" Auertisse yelled at him while her right eye started twitching.

Beastboy turned around in fright, broke the urn and saw Auertisse glaring at him.

"So you're the legendary Dragon Warrior. Hmmm?" Auertisse asked Beastboy as she fixed the urn with her powers.

"Well yeah I guess." Beastboy said reluctantly.

"Wrong! You are not the Dragon Warrior. You will never be the Dragon Warrior until you have learned the secret of the Dragon Scroll." Auertisse as she pointed to the scroll.

"Whoa." Beastboy said in awe of the scroll, "So how does this work? You have a ladder or trampoline or...?"

"You really think it's gonna be that easy? That I'm just gonna hand you the secret to limitless power?" Auertisse asked him like he was stupid or a little child in need of correction.

"No I…" Beastboy started to say until he was cut off.

"One must first master the highest level of kung fu. And that is clearly impossible if that one is someone like you." Auertisse said coldly.

"What do you mean? Someone like me?" Beastboy asked her though it was a bit clear he knew the answer.

"Yes. Look at you...these scrawny arms, weak legs and empty head." Auertisse said as she hit the mentioned parts with her staff.

When her staff hit his head a loud echoing THWACK could be heard throughout the hall.

"Owww." Beastboy said while rubbing his head where he got hit.

"-and utter disregard for personal hygiene." Auertisse added while looking a little green.

"Now wait a minute. That's a little uncalled-for." Beastboy said while getting up in Auertisse's face.

"Please don't stand so close. I can smell your breath." Auertisse said while turning even greener.

She was almost as green as Beastboy.

"Listen...Midnight said that I was the-"Beastboy started to say as he pointed at Auertisse but stopped when she pinched his out stretched digit.

"*gasp* The Wuxi Finger Hold? Not the Wuxi Finger Hold!" Beastboy said in fear of the much bigger girl.

"Oh you know this hold?" Auertisse asked slyly finally having a little fun.

"Yes." Beastboy said after giving a brief history of the move.

"Oh, then you must know what happens when I flex my pinky." Auertisse said while slightly moving her pinky.

Beastboy frantically nodded and looked ready to beg to be spared.

"You know the hardest part of this? The hardest part is cleaning up afterwards..." Auertisse told him coolly.

"Okay! Okay! Take it easy..." Beastboy begged when he saw the look of murder in Auertisse's eyes.

"Now listen closely, green bean. Midnight may have picked you, but when I'm through with you, I promise you, you're going to wish he hadn't. Are we clear?" Auertisse asked him sharply.

In fact the Sword of Heroes was less sharp.

"Yeah, we're clear. We're clear. We are so clear." Beastboy said as Auertisse finally let go of his finger.

"Good. I can't wait to get started." Auertisse said with a little bit of mirth slipping into her voice.

-Line Break-

**Me: Ah I love playing Shifu. He has the best lines and the best moves too.**

**Jasiri: And I have to play a snake why?**

**Me: Because I want you to. See you all in a while. Chavonnie26 GO! *Starts practicing Kung Fu in tiger style without all the flips and handstands***


	27. Chapter 27

**Me: Wow two chapters in one day. I'm back baby.**

**Jasiri: No matter how much the cast and I don't want you to be.**

**Me: Oh quit your belly aching. At least we're gonna see Beastboy get his just deserts for always intruding on Raven in her room.**

**Raven who is now replacing Jasiri as my muse: And I thank you for that.**

**Me: Finally someone with a brain. I swear I lost 20 IQ points working with her.**

**Raven: I wouldn't be surprised if you did. At least you have more unlike them.**

**Me: True. I sadly only own Jasiri, Midnight and myself as Auertisse. Now onto the fic. Also BTW everyone is wearing Chinese versions of their usual outfits.**

-Line Break-

"This green bean is the training hall." Auertisse said as she opened the large doors to the training hall where the Furious Five were practicing.

Each was doing amazing Kung Fu moves that suited their powers perfectly. Beastboy was slack jawed and wide eyed when he saw them.

"Let's begin." Auertisse said as she gestured to the gauntlet.

"Wait. What? Now?" Beastboy asked sacredly as he eyed the gauntlet that could seriously hurt him.

"Yes...now. Unless you think the great Midnight was wrong, and you are not the Dragon Warrior." Auertisse said almost as if she was daring him to answer.

"Oh, okay. Well- I don't know if I can do all of those moves." Beastboy said as Auertisse walked away and he followed her half-heartedly.

"Well, if we don't try, we'll never know will we?" Auertisse asked him calmly.

"Uh, yeah. It's just, maybe we can find something more suited to my level." Beastboy said nervously like he was waiting for Auertisse to explode at him.

"What level would that be?" Auertisse asked him as she turned to face him.

"Well, ya know...I'm not a master, but uh, let's just start at zero, level zero." Beastboy told her.

"There is no level zero." Auertisse told him while she supressed her laughter at his stupidity.

"Hey! Maybe I can start with that." Beastboy said while pointing to a dummy that looked suspiciously like Slade and had a lot of bird-a-rang scratch marks on it.

"That? We use that for training children. And for when Robin loses his temper. But if you insist…" Auertisse said as Beastboy looked relieved.

Beastboy then turns to the dummy as the Furious Five gather around him.

"Whoa. The Furious Five. You're so much bigger than your action figures." Beastboy said being a typical fan boy.

Auertisse and Raven simultaneously face-palmed.

"Go ahead, tooth pick. Show us what you can do." Auertisse said as Beastboy slowly chipped away at her patience.

"Um, are they gonna watch? Or should I just wait until they get back to work or something..." Beastboy said trailing off.

"Hit. It." Auertisse said through clenched teeth.

Not even Jasiri got on her nerves this quickly. Some of the training equipment was even glowing blue and aiming at Beastboy.

"Ok. I mean, I just ate. So I'm still digesting... So my kung fu might not be as good as later on." Beastboy said while stalling.

The Five were starting to look nervous. Not because of Beastboy but because of Auertisse. She almost had steam coming out of her ears.

"Just. Hit. It. Before. I. Hit. You." Auertisse said almost a growl.

The Five knew not to get her mad. Her style of Kung Fu was Tiger Style. The most lethal style and with her powers let's just say you would have to be a complete idiot to get her mad. Unfortunately for Beastboy he was an idiot.

Beastboy then started psyching himself up to hit the dummy that was a little bit larger than him. in fact the only thing in the room the same size as him was Jasiri.

"Alright. Whatcha got? You got nothing cause I got it right here. You picking on my friends? Get ready to feel the thunder. I'm comin' at him with the crazy feet. Whatcha gonna do about my crazy feet? I'm a blur. I'm a blur. You never seen bear style, you only seen praying Mantis! OR... I could come at you Monkey style. OR... I'm comin' at ya snikity-snake." Beastboy said completely confusing the Five and getting Auertisse even angrier if that was even possible.

"Would you just hit it already?!" Auertisse asked him angrily bordering on yelling.

"Ok yeesh take a chill pill." Beastboy said as the Five restrained their teacher from turning Beastboy into the latest stain on the floor.

Beastboy then hit the dummy and it went all the way backwards.

"How's tha-"Beastboy started to ask but the dummy sprang back up and hit him on the head.

Totally dazed, Beastboy trips and stumbles his way through the obstacle course. The Five instinctively step forward to help Beastboy, but Auertisse holds up her hand to stop them.

"You help him you get extra chores for a month." Auertisse told them her voice a growl.

They immediately stepped back and watched a rather hilarious journey through the gauntlet. The sounds of pain that came from the gauntlet almost made Auertisse wince in sympathy. Eventually Beastboy crawled out of the gauntlet with a tuff of his hair on fire.

"How did I do?" Beastboy asked Auertisse dazedly.

"There is now a level zero." Auertisse told him as she snuffed out the flame on his head.

-Line Break-

**Me: Sorry it's so short but I've got to get everything ready for my aunt.**

**Raven: And I am truly sorry for you. From what I've heard you're me and your brother is Beastboy.**

**Me: True oh how true. Well see you all soon. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts working on list that my mom gave me***


	28. Chapter 28

**Me: 4 days to go. *gulps* I don't wanna stop writing!**

**Raven slaps me back to normal.**

**Me: Thanks I needed that. Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing.**

**Raven: Chavonnie26 owns only Jasiri, Midnight and herself as Auertisse.**

**Me: Thanks Raven. Also soon I'm gonna try my hand at writing a Kung Fu Panda fic. PM me if you want a sneak peek. Now onto the fic!**

-Line Break-

The Furious Five are walking up to their barracks while talking.

"There's no words." Robin said while shaking his head.

"No denying that." Starfire said while holding Robin's hand.

**"**I don't understand what Master Midnight was thinking. The poor guy's just gonna get himself killed." Jasiri said sympathetically.

"He is so mighty! The Dragon Warrior fell out of the sky on a ball of fire." Cyborg mocked Midnight.

**"**When he walks, he doesn't even touch the ground!" Robin said continuing the mocking.

**"**One would think that Master Midnight would choose someone who actually knew Kung Fu." Raven said dryly in her monotone.

**"**Yeah, or could at least lift a stone." Starfire said lifting a nearby boulder above her head easily.

**"**Or even a pebble." Cyborg said as he tossed a medium sized rock behind him.

Little did they know Beastboy heard the entire conversation? To prove them wrong he tried to lift the stone Cyborg had thrown but only succeeded in almost throwing his back out. He looked up to see the Five walk into the barracks.

-Line Break-

Beastboy peeked his head around a corner in the barracks.

"Okay." Beastboy whispered as he tip-toes into the hall.

SQUEAK. The floorboards strained beneath him despite him being so light. SQUEAK.

**"**Great." Beastboy whispered as he took a gentle step.

CRE-E-E-A-AA-CHUNK! BB's foot went through the floor. BB tried to recover. SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK! THUNK! Beastboy rolled his ankle and stumbled through a bedroom door.

Jasiri stared back at him.

**"**Oh hey...hi. You're up." Beastboy said nervously.

**"**Am now." Jasiri said plainly as she put her face mask on.

**"**I was just uh... Someday huh? That kung fu stuff is hard work, right? Your biceps sore?" Beastboy said digging himself an even bigger hole.

Jasiri looked at her arms.

"Um...I've had a long and rather disappointing day, so uh...yeah, I should probably get to sleep now." Jasiri said as she took out her braids.

**"**Yeah yeah yeah, of course." Beastboy said slightly embarrassed.

**"**Okay, thanks." Jasiri said as she put her hair in curlers.

**"**It's just...I'm such a big fan." Beastboy said digging his hole even deeper.

**"**Oop." Jasiri said as she adjusted her mask.

**"**You guys were totally amazing at the Battle of Weeping River. Outnumbered a thousand to one, but you didn't stop, and then you just... HI-YAH!" Beastboy said as he performed a spastic series of Kung Fu moves.

We hear a RIP, and reveal that he's kicked his foot through the paper wall.

**"**Ooo, sorry about that." Beastboy said to both Starfire who was on the other side of the wall and to Jasiri

**"**Look, you don't belong here." Jasiri said tiredly.

Beastboy looked stung to be hearing this from one of his heroes.

**"**I know. I know. You're right. I just - my whole life I've dreamed of-"Beastboy said until Jasiri stopped him before he could embarrasses himself even more.

**"**No no no... I meant you don't belong here. I mean, in this room. This is my room. Property of Jasiri." Jasiri said while pointing to a sign on the door that said Jasiri.

Beastboy is mortified, but covers.

"Oh, okay. Right right. Yeah, you want to get to sleep." Beastboy said slowly backing out of the room.

**"**Yeah." Jasiri said as she looked ready to dive into her bed.

**"**I'm keepin' you up. We got big things tomorrow. Alright. You're awesome. Last thing I'm gonna say. Okay. Bye bye." Beastboy said as he shut the door.

Jasiri sighed. The door flew open. Beastboy entered with an eager smile.

**"**What was that?" Beastboy asked eagerly.

**"**I didn't say anything." Jasiri said wearily.

**"**Okay. Alright. Goodnight. Sleep well." Beastboy said as he backed out into the hall and closed the door.

**"**Seemed a little bit awkward." Beastboy said as he turned and walked down the hall to find a vacant room. CREAK- CREAK.

Raven opened the door behind him. Beastboy winced.

**"**Master Raven! Dude I didn't mean to wake you. Just uh..." Beastboy said until Raven cut him off.

**"**You don't belong here." Raven said coldly.

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Of course. This is your room." Beastboy said thinking he had learned from his mistakes.

**"**I mean...you don't belong in the Jade Palace. You're a disgrace to Kung Fu, and if you have any respect for who we are and what we do, you will be gone by morning." Raven said so coldly Beastboy could have sworn the temperature dropped.

She closed the door on Beastboy, who slumped sadly.

**"**Big fan..." Beastboy said trying to sound happy.

-With Beastboy-

A dejected Beastboy stood under a peach tree in the moonlight.

Midnight approached him silently while not wearing her mask.

**"**I see you have found the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom." Midnight said picking herself a peach.

Beastboy spun around, his face dripping with peach juice.

"Is that what this is? I am so sorry. I thought it was just a regular peach tree." Beastboy said with his mouthful.

**"**I understand. You eat when you are upset. And from the look of you that doesn't happen very often." Midnight said while taking a bit of her own peach.

"Upset? I'm not upset. What makes you think I'm upset?" Beastboy asked her when he swallowed his mouthful.

"So why are you upset?" Midnight asked him after she swallowed her own mouthful.

Beastboy sighed, there's no use trying to lie to Midnight.

"I probably sucked more today than anyone in the history of kung fu, in the history of China, in the history of sucking." Beastboy said sadly.

"Probably." Midnight said while walking towards Beastboy.

"And the Five... man, you should have seen them, they totally hate me." Beastboy said as he stared at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Totally. Except maybe Jasiri. She seems to have a small crush on you." Midnight said slightly perking Beastboy up with that little titbit of info but not by a lot.

"How's Auertisse ever going to turn me into the Dragon Warrior? I mean, I'm not like The Five. I've got no claws, no starbolts, no energy attacks. Even Robin has his bird-a-rangs. Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles." Beastboy said not even meeting Midnight's gaze.

**"**Quit, don't quit. Noodles, don't noodles." Midnight said trying to sound mysterious.

Beastboy looked confused.

"You are too concerned with what was and what will be. There is a saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present." Midnight elaborated.

Midnight then hit the tree with her staff as she walks away and a peach falls into Beastboy's open hand.

-Inside Chogun Prison-

Using a bracelet dropped by Argent to pick the lock, Slade burst free from his armour.

An ALARM RANG OUT!

Batman ran to the ledge, Argent right behind him.

**"**What's happening?" Argent asked as she looked over the edge and saw Slade at the bottom of the pit.

Slade struggled with his shackles.

**"**Fire Crossbows!" Batman commanded.

Slade uses the incoming spears to break his shackles and then manages to kick the spears back up into the walls, creating a makeshift staircase.

**"**Slade is free! I must warn Auertisse!" Argent said getting ready to run.

Batman shut the girl up.

**"**You're not going anywhere. And neither is he." Batman said sternly.

**"**Let go of me!" Argent said threatingly.

**"**Bring it up!" Batman commanded to the guards.

The winch turned and the elevator started to rise. A guard tried to reach it, but just missed.

**"**Wait! Bring it back!" The guard yelled to his colleagues.

**"**He's coming this way!" Argent yelled starting to look nervous.

**"**He won't get far," He told Argent and then said to the guards "Archers!"

Leaping across the spears, Slade caught the elevator as the volley of arrows flew down past him.

The guards cut the rope and the elevator crashed back down to the bottom of the pit.

Slade swings up from the bottom of the elevator house and caught the guards by surprise. He grabbed the chain and jumped over the edge and swung around, launching himself up to the next tier, disappearing into the shadows.

Slade landed on a bridge, fought his way through, and finally reached the top tier where Batman and the rest of the army awaited.

"We're dead. So very, very dead." Argent said hiding behind Batman

Batman hushed the girl.

**"**Heh heh...not yet we're not!" Batman told her and then told the guards "Now!"

Archers set off charges on the ceiling. Massive stalactites crashed down and the bridge began to crumble. Slade leaped across the crumbling debris and attempted one last huge jump towards Batman. But he fell short, hooked gloves scraping and sparking against the rock wall. Batman laughed maniacally. (**Me: Joker much?**)

On his way down, Slade looked up and saw a fuse burning down to the last group of explosives. He leaped across the raining debris up to the ceiling of the cavern. Grabbing a hold of the dynamite, Slade fell and slung it ahead of him at the guards.

**"**Can we run now?" Argent asked Batman.

"Yes." Batman said as he headed for the door.

-Outside Chogun Prison-

KA-THOOM! The door blasts open and Rhinos go flying everywhere. WHUMP. Argent hit the ground. Batman's mask/cowl fell in front of her.

**"**Nuuu... Urggg..." Argent said as she tried to get her bearings.

Slade picks up Argent by the throat.

"URRK!" Argent said as she clawed at the fingers around her throat.

"I'm glad Auertisse sent you. I was beginning to think I had been forgotten." Slade said never letting go of the girl's throat.

With a creepy tenderness, Slade smoothed Argent's ruffled hair.

"Fly back there and tell them...the real Dragon Warrior is coming home." Slade said as he threw the girl into the air and she flew off. Lightning struck in the background.

-Line Break-

**Me while stroking my chin: Ah the plot thickens. Now remember if you want a sneak peek of my new story then send me a PM.**

**Raven: I think you should head off to bed.**

**Me: You're right but first let me upload this chapter.**

**Raven: All right. Good night. *Heads off to her own room that is now outfitted with an anti-Beastboy shield***

**Me: Well I have nothing more to say. Chavonnie26 GO! *Uploads chapter then heads off to bed***


	29. Chapter 29

**Me: 3 more days till she lands.**

**Raven: Unfortunately. Well on a happier note. Thanks to SkysFireLady15 and rinpup14 for reviewing.**

**Me: I own only Jasiri, Midnight and myself as Auertisse. Now onto the fic *glances at the clock* and quickly.**

-Line Break-

Auertisse entered the hallway of the bunkhouse. The Five burst out of their rooms and landed, ready for inspection.

"Good morning master!" the Five said in unison while one door remained closed.

"Green Bean! Green Bean, wake up!" Auertisse yelled as she slid open Beastboy's door.

The room was empty.

"Hmm. He's quit." Auertisse said satisfied with herself.

-Outside the training hall - moments later -

Auertisse walked with a bit more energy.

"What do we do now, Master? With the grass stain gone, who will be the Dragon Warrior?" Jasiri asked her master which seemed to deflate her mood just a little.

"All we can do is resume our training and trust that in time, the true Dragon Warrior will be revealed." Auertisse told her student solemnly as they arrived at the training hall.

Auertisse entered the training hall, only to find herself face-to-face with Beastboy's butt. Auertisse and the Five are taken aback.

"What are you doing here?" Auertisse asked when she saw tha Beastboy was in the middle of the floor, his legs spread wide apart.

Beastboy looked back over his shoulder and saw Auertisse and the Five enter the hall.

"Hey! Huh... Good morning, Master! I thought I'd warm up a little." Beastboy said while performing some stretches while still doing the splits.

"You're stuck." Auertisse said plainly and it was clear she was irritated.

"Stuck? Whaa? Pfft... stuck...Yeah, I'm stuck." Beastboy said dejectedly.

"Help him." Auertisse told Jasiri.

Jasiri approached Beastboy.

"Oh dear." Jasiri said as she gingerly grabbed Beastboy's waistband and attempted to pull him up.

"Maybe on three. One. Two-"Beastboy said as Jasiri pulled him up and he flopped onto his back.

"Threeeee. Thank you." Beastboy said from on his back.

"Don't mention it." Jasiri said heading back to stand by Auertisse.

"No really, I appreci-"Beastboy started saying until Jasiri cut him off.

"-EVER." Jasiri said venomously

"You actually thought you could learn to do a full split in one night? It takes years to develop one's flexibility and years longer to apply it in combat." Auertisse said as she flung two boards into the air.

Instantly, Raven leapt up and executed a perfect split kick. Beastboy is awestruck. As Raven landed, the broken chunks of board landed all around Beastboy, knocking him on the head. Beastboy collected a piece of splintered board as a souvenir until Auertisse noticed and stepped forward.

"Put that down! The only souvenirs we collect here are bloody knuckles and broken bones." Auertisse told Beastboy sternly.

"Yeah, excellent!" Beastboy said as he laughed excitedly and saluted Auertisse.

"Let's get started." Auertisse said like she was planning something.

Now cue the montage.

Auertisse snapped her fingers. Jasiri and Beastboy faced off.

"Are you ready?" Jasiri asked her crush making sure she wouldn't hurt him too badly.

"I was born ready-"Beastboy said as the fight began.

Jasiri turned into a viper hybrid and lashed her tail around Beastboy's wrist, wrenched his arm back, flung him into the air and brought him crashing back down on his head.

"Eaghhh..." Beastboy said while shaking his head to clear the dizziness.

"I'm sorry! I thought you said you were ready!" Jasiri said while turning back to normal.

"That was awesome! Let's go again." Beastboy said while saluting Auertisse whose patience was wearing thin.

Auertisse snapped her fingers again.

Robin twirled a bamboo staff. He lunged at Beastboy who takes a comical beating.

Auertisse snapped again.

Beastboy and Starfire prepared to spar atop the turtle bowl. CRASH. Beastboy fell in and is tossed around like a sack of flour.

Auertisse snapped again.

We see a series of shots of Beastboy falling on his face at the hands of Cyborg.

Auertisse smiled at this. But even flat on his back, Beastboy managed a salute. Auertisse has had it.

"I've been taking it easy on you, grass stain, but no more! Your next opponent... will be me." Auertisse said while putting her hair in a ponytail.

Beastboy looked excited although he should have been scared out of his mind.

"Alright! Let's go!" Beastboy said not knowing he was digging his own grave.

The Five exchange worried looks for Beastboy's sanity. Anyone who's actually excited to go up against Auertisse has to be crazy.

"Step forth." Auertisse told him as she faced him.

Beastboy didn't even finish the step as Auertisse whirled him around and threw him to the floor pinning his arm behind him.

"The true path to victory is to find your opponent's weakness and make him suffer for it." Auertisse told him like it was a lesson and not a fight.

"Oh, yeah!" Beastboy said delightedly at the thought of being given pointers by _the _Great Auertisse.

Auertisse whipped Beastboy around again.

"To take his strength and use it against him." Auertisse said calmly like she had all the time in the world.

Again, this time Auertisse held Beastboy by the nose. (**Me: Ewww I'm so gonna need some hand sanitizer after that one**)

"-until he finally falls, or quits." Auertisse told him while never releasing her grip.

Beastboy is totally inspired.

"But a real warrior never quits. Don't worry, Master, I will never quit!" Beastboy said stubbornly.

At her breaking point, Auertisse flung Beastboy into the air and then leapt at him with a flying kick.

Beastboy crashed out of the door and tumbled down the steps as The Five watch him fall.

"If he's smart, he won't come back up those steps." Raven said dryly.

"But he will." Cyborg said sadly.

"He's not gonna quit, is he?" Jasiri said hoping that he might come back.

"He's not gonna quit bouncin', I'll tell ya that." Robin said as Beastboy kept bouncing down the steps like he was made of rubber.

-Later in the Bunk House-

"Aaaoo...whoohoo...EEEee...hee-hee... I thought you said acupuncture would make me feel better." Beastboy yelped as Robin pops up from behind him holding a handful of needles and sticks him again.

"Trust me, it will. It's just not easy finding the right nerve points with you being so-"Robin said trailing off trying to think of a less offensive word than small.

"Small?" Beastboy asked Robin like he knew what he was thinking.

"Petite, I was gonna say petite." Robin said trying to recover.

"Sure you were." Beastboy said sounding surprisingly like Raven.

"Who am I to judge a warrior based on his size? I mean - look at Jasiri." Robin said as he pointed to Jasiri who was assisting him.

Beastboy looked at Jasiri with a secret longing in his eyes as Robin took advantage of his distraction and jabbed another needle into Beastboy.

"Ow!" Beastboy yelled.

Apparently thinking about your secret crush isn't distracting enough when it comes to needles.

"Maybe you should take a look at this again." Jasiri said as she held up a diagram of acupuncture meridians (onto which someone had under laid a drawing of Beastboy.)

"Oh! Okay." Robin said while reading the diagram.

A quick cut to Cyborg meditating in his room and Starfire doing calligraphy in hers. Beastboy's yelps distracted them.

"Ow! Don't...*laughs* Stop it, stop- Yow! I know Master Auertisse's trying to inspire me and all, but if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was trying to get rid of me." Beastboy said as he chuckled.

The others looked at each other and chuckled awkwardly.

"I know she can seem kind of heartless-"Robin said as he violently jabbed another needle in Po. "But, ya know, she wasn't always like that."

"According to legend, there was once a time when Master Auertisse actually used to smile." Jasiri said while wondering what Auertisse would look like with a smile.

"No." Beastboy said disbelievingly.

"Yes." Robin told him almost like he didn't believe it himself.

A quick cut to Raven out in the hallway. She can hear them talking.

"But that was before..." Jasiri said trailing off.

"Before what?" Beastboy asked eager to hear the story.

"Before Slade." Raven said as she entered the room

Starfire's shadow is silhouetted on the wall.

"Uh yeah, we're not really supposed to talk about him." Starfire said nervously.

"Well, if he's going to stay here, he should know." Raven said rationally.

"Guys, guys. I know about Slade." Beastboy said trying to ease the tension.

Raven turned to Beastboy.

"He was a student, the first ever to master the thousand..." Beastboy said as Raven approached him and leaned in towards him.

"...scrolls of... kung fu... and...then he turned bad... and now he's in jail." Beastboy said while trailing off nervously.

Raven shakes her head at the teen's ignorance.

"He wasn't just a student." Raven told him trying hard to sound emotionless.

Cue the flash back and ripple dissolve.

_Auertisse as a little girl peeks out of the Training Hall and finds a young boy about 3 years older than her on the steps._

_"Auertisse found him as kid. And they became fast friends." Raven said in a voice over._

_Young Slade smiles at young Auertisse and gives her some fortune cookies._

_"...and when he showed talent in Kung Fu..." (Speaking parts are Raven in a voice over)_

_Young Slade punches the training dummy across the floor._

_"...Auertisse trained him."_

_Young Auertisse teaches Young Slade how to punch._

_"She believed in him. She told him he was destined for greatness."_

_Hard cut to a nearly fully grown Slade demolishing a training dummy with a nearly fully grown Auertisse watching in the background._

_"It was never enough for Slade. He wanted the Dragon Scroll. But Midnight saw darkness in his heart and refused. Outraged, Slade laid waste to the valley. He tried to take the scroll by force. And Auertisse had to destroy what she had created."_

_Slade ransacks a village on his way up to the Jade Palace. He crashes through the doors, running towards a waiting Auertisse and Midnight. Auertisse leaps at Slade to deliver a kick._

_"But how could she?"_

_Seeing only Young Slade running towards her, Auertisse pulls her kick short. Slade counters with a devastating strike and Auertisse crashes to the ground holding her broken leg. Slade leaps for the scroll, but Midnight stops him with strikes at his pressure points. He falls to the ground in a heap._

_"Auertisse loved Slade like she'd never loved anyone before..."_

_Young Raven in the training hall strikes the dummy in the same manner as Slade. Auertisse corrects her form. Nothing more. Young Raven looks crestfallen._

_"...or since." Raven said as she finished the voice over_

_The sad, young Raven cross-dissolves to teen Raven._

And end the flash back. Everyone is quiet in the moment.

"And now she has a chance to make things right, to train the true Dragon Warrior. And she's stuck with you: a small, scrawny grass stain who treats it like a joke." Raven said putting more venom than a Black Mamba bite into her words.

"Doieeeee..." Beastboy said as he made a googly-eyed face

"Oh! That is it!" Raven said while charging at Beastboy.

Robin popped up and halted Raven mid-charge.

"Wait! My fault! I accidentally tweaked his facial nerve." Robin said as Beastboy fell face first to the floor, revealing his back is covered with needles.

"And may have also stopped his heart." Robin said nervously as he started yanking out needles.

-Line Break-

**Me: Look I'm sorry about this but no more Author's Notes until I get this part of the story finished.**

**Raven: Well you will save space and time.**

**Me: I know. Well see you all in the next chapter. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts writing next chapter***


	30. Chapter 30

Auertisse is sitting in meditation, fidgeting incessantly.

"Inner peace. Inner peace. Inner peace." Auertisse chanted over and over.

She finally opened one eye.

"Would whoever is making that humming sound, quiet down!" Auertisse yelled/

Satisfied with the silence, Auertisse nodded and resumed her meditation.

"Inner..." Auertisse started but was interrupted.

BOOM. Argent dropped in from the ceiling.

"Oh, Argent. Excellent. I could use some good news right now." Auertisse said almost pleadingly.

"Uh..." Argent said reluctant to say her message.

-Later at The Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom-

Midnight (without her mask) stood under the peach tree, deep in thought. Auertisse rushed in, emerging from the mist, extremely agitated.

"Master! Master!" Auertisse yelled as she approached Midnight.

"Hmmm?" Midnight asked being snapped out of her daze.

"I have- it's- it's very bad news." Auertisse said out of breath.

"Ah, Auertisse. There is just news. There is no good or bad." Midnight said trying again to be mysterious and actually working.

"Master, your vision...your vision was right. Slade has broken out of prison. He's on his way!" Auertisse said completely panicked.

"That is bad news..." Midnight said as she turned to face Auertisse and stared at her, eyebrow raised.

"...If you do not believe that the Dragon Warrior can stop him." Midnight finished.

"The grass stain? Master, that teen is not the Dragon Warrior. He wasn't even meant to be here - it was an accident!" Auertisse said ready to rip her hair out.

"There are no accidents." Midnight said calmly.

"Yes, I know. You've said that already. Twice." Auertisse said as she got even more worked up.

"Well, that was no accident either." Midnight said almost as if she was making a joke.

"Thrice." Auertisse said under her breath but Midnight heard her anyway.

"My old friend, the boy will never fulfil his destiny, nor you yours, until you let go of the illusion of control." Midnight said like she was a wise man or something.

"Illusion?" Auertisse asked as peaches started flying off the tree in her irritation.

"Yeah. Look at this tree, Auertisse. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me, nor make it bear fruit before its time." Midnight said while ducking the flying peaches.

"But there are things we can control." Auertisse said as she kicked the tree and a peach fell to her feet.

"I can control when the fruit will fall." Auertisse said as a peach fell on her head and Midnight chuckles.

Auertisse tossed the peach in the air, leapt up, and split it with a chop.

"And I can control-"Auertisse starts to say.

Auertisse punched the ground, creating a hole and placed the seed in it.

"-where to plant the seed. That is no illusion, Master." Auertisse finished as the flying peaches landed in a perfect pyramid next to her.

"Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple, or an orange... but you will get a peach. That is if you don't use your powers." Midnight said wisely.

"But a peach cannot defeat Slade!" Auertisse yelled at her wit's end.

"Maybe it can. If you are willing to guide it, to nurture it. To believe in it." Midnight said as she covered the seed with dirt.

"But how? How? I need your help, Master." Auertisse said almost as if she didn't want to admit it.

"No, you just need to believe. Promise me, Auertisse. Promise me you will believe." Midnight asked her as if it was her final request and from her grey hair and wrinkles it might be.

"I... I will try." Auertisse said almost reluctantly.

Midnight smiled, then glanced up at the sky, and then back down to Auertisse.

"Good. My time has come. You must continue your journey without me." Midnight said as she hands her staff to a confused Auertisse.

"What... what are you..?" Auertisse asked as Midnight backed away into the swirling fog.

"Master, you can't leave me!" Auertisse yelled afraid to lose her only parental figure ever.

The petals surround Midnight as she approaches the cliff's edge.

"You must believe." Midnight said calmly.

"Master!" Auertisse yelled tears streaking down her face.

Auertisse ran after her. Midnight is engulfed by peach blossoms. As the winds settle, Auertisse is revealed standing at the edge of a cliff.

Midnight was gone.

-At the Bunk House with Beastboy and the Five-

"...So I'm like, fine, you may be a wolf, you may be the scariest bandit in Haijin Province but you're a lousy tipper." Beastboy said as he prepared dinner for the Five and chopped some veggies mid-air.

"Really? So ... how'd you get out of there alive?" Robin asked like he didn't believe it.

"I mean, I didn't actually say that, but I thought it... in my mind." Beastboy said as he flipped some bowls and expertly lined them up on his arm.

He then ladled soup into them.

"If he... could read my mind, he'd have been like, "What?" *pause* Order up!" Beastboy said while placing a bowl in front of each person.

Beastboy looked around expectantly and the Five (minus Raven) dig in.

"Hope you like it." Beastboy said while taking his seat.

"This is really good." Cyborg said as he slurped a noodle that was hanging out of his mouth.

"No, c'mon," Beastboy said bashfully "You should try my sister's secret ingredient soup. She actually knows the secret ingredient."

"What are you talking about? This is amazing." Starfire said as she slathered the soup with mustard.

"Wow, you're a really good cook." Robin said almost slurping up the soup.

"I wish my mouth was bigger." Jasiri said as she slurped up the soup.

The others laugh. But not Raven.

"Rae you gotta try this." Cyborg said when he paused from slurping his soup.

Raven looks up from her meal.

"It is said that the Dragon Warrior can survive for months at a time on nothing but the dew of a single gingko leaf and the energy of the universe." Raven said in her monotone.

Everyone looked at Beastboy. Beastboy gave them a shrug.

"I guess my body knows it's the Dragon Warrior. I could so survive on dew. And, uh, Universe juice. But I think I'll stick to soup." Beastboy said as he laughed.

He picks up his bowl and takes a giant gulp. When he lowers the bowl, we see his face is covered in soup making it look like a normal peach colour. Jasiri snickers.

"What?" Beastboy asked completely unaware of the soup on his face.

"Oh, nothing... Master Auertisse!" Jasiri said as the rest start laughing.

Beastboy realizes he's wearing a soup mask. He plays it up.

"You will never be the Dragon Warrior, unless you gain a few pounds and brush your

teeth!" Beastboy said as he imitated Auertisse.

The Five laughed at this.

"What is that noise you're making? Laughter? I never heard of it!" Beastboy said while actually being funny.

The Five kept laughing. Beastboy reached over and grabbed some of the leftover cooked noodles and put them on his head like a wig.

"Work hard, Grass Stain. And maybe, someday... you will have hair like mine." Beastboy said while continually imitating Auertisse.

As the rest of the Five laugh, Raven sneaks a moment to smell Beastboy's soup. Leaning towards the bowl, she suddenly looks up and stops. The Five also look up and stop laughing. Auertisse had entered behind Po. She is holding Midnight's staff.

"Hair. It's not working for you? I thought it was pretty good." Beastboy asked surprised at the sudden lack of laughter.

Beastboy looked at the stone-faced Five. Raven jumped to her feet.

"It's Auertisse." Cyborg said trying to give Beastboy a hint.

"Of course it's Auertisse. What do you think I'm doing?" Beastboy said as he finally noticed Auertisse standing there, doing a slow burn.

Embarrassed, he tossed the noodles behind him right into Robin's face.

"Ooh! Master Auertisse!" Beastboy said as he wiped off the soup mask.

"You think this is funny? Slade has escaped from prison and you're acting like children!" Auertisse yelled angrily.

"What?" Beastboy asked hoping it was a joke.

"He is coming for the Dragon Scroll, and you are the only one who can stop him." Auertisse told him seriously.

A beat as this sinks in... Then Beastboy starts to laugh.

"And here I am saying you got no sense of humour. I'm gonna stop Slade..." Beastboy said until he saw Auertisse's face.

Auertisse was just staring at him, deadly serious.

"What? You're serious? And I have to- uh, Master Midnight will stop him! She did it before, she'll do it again." Beastboy said as he tried to get out of it.

"Midnight cannot, not anymore." Auertisse said sadly.

They then noticed Auertisse was holding Midnight's staff. They know what this means. They are saddened by the news.

"Our only hope is the Dragon Warrior." Auertisse said almost as if she wished it wasn't.

"The boy?" Raven asked her hoping this time she was kidding.

"Yes, the boy!" Auertisse said almost as if she didn't want to be the one to say it.

"Master, please. Let us stop Slade. This is what you've trained us for." Raven asked almost pleading.

"No! It is not your destiny to defeat Slade. It is his." Auertisse said as she dramatically pointed at Beastboy... but Beastboy is gone.

"Where'd he go?" Auertisse asked as she threw up her hands in frustration and headed after Beastboy.

-With Beastboy-

Beastboy runs away from the compound at high speeds. He checks over his shoulder, turns

back... Auertisse lands right in front of him.

"You cannot leave! A real warrior never quits!" Auertisse said as she blocked the path.

"Watch me!" Beastboy said as he tried to maneuver around Auertisse, but is redirected back.

"Come on! How am I supposed to beat Slade? I can't even beat you to the stairs." Beastboy whined to Auertisse.

"You will beat him because you are the Dragon Warrior!" Auertisse said as she pushed Beastboy back with the staff.

"Ow! You don't believe that! You never believed that! From the first moment I got here, you've been trying to get rid of me." Beastboy said as he tried to go around her again.

Auertisse pokes him again, this time causing Beastboy to fall on his back.

"Yes. I was. But now I ask you to trust in your master as I have come to trust in mine." Auertisse said while standing stock still.

"You're not my master. And I'm not the Dragon Warrior." Beastboy said as he shoved the staff away and got up.

"Then why didn't you quit? You knew I was trying to get rid of you, and yet you stayed." Auertisse asked mildly confused.

"Yeah, I stayed. I stayed because every time you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled, it hurt. But it could never hurt more than it did every day of my life just being me." Beastboy said as he looked down at the Valley, and then turned back to Auertisse.

"I stayed because I thought if anyone could change me, could make me... not me, it was you dude. The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China." Beastboy said solemnly.

"But I can change you! I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I will!" Auertisse said sternly and stubbornly.

"C'mon, Slade is on his way here right now. And even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are you gonna change this...*indicates whole scrawny body*...into the Dragon Warrior? How? How? How?" Beastboy asked her knowing the answer already.

In frustration, Auertisse yelled out the answer.

"I don't know!(then, resigned) I don't know." Auertisse said almost as if she hated the words with a passion.

"That's what I thought." Beastboy said finally being right for once.

Auertisse walked away, leaving the path open to Beastboy.

-With Raven-

Raven stood in the moonlight outside the palace. She had seen what just transpired between Auertisse and Beastboy. She turned away, a look of resolve on her face... and leapt.

She flew through the air, finally landing on a rooftop in the valley below. She looked back up at the palace.

"This is what you trained me for." Raven said as she took off running.

The other four are right behind her.

"Rae!" Jasiri yelled.

She kept going and they gave chase.

"Don't try and stop me!" Raven yelled.

The chase continued through the village.

"We're not trying to stop you!" Jasiri told her.

"What?" Raven asked.

"We're coming with you!" Jasiri yelled.

Then...the others join her. Raven smiled a small secret smile. They leapt off into the night.


	31. Chapter 31

Night dissolved to dawn. Auertisse sat under the peach tree. She stirred, hearing kung fu noises from the training hall. She goes to investigate.

-In the training hall-

Auertisse looked inside - it's empty. The noises continue from somewhere else - the bunkhouse.

-In The Kitchen-

As Auertisse turned the corner she saw Beastboy's shadow as he performed some amazing Kung Fu. Entering the kitchen, Auertisse was surprized to find Beastboy stuffing his face with food. Seeing Auertisse, he stops mid-munch. In silence they eyed each other. Auertisse surveyed the room -broken lock, smashed doors, and unhinged cabinets. Beastboy belched.

"What? I eat when I'm upset, okay?" Beastboy said with his mouth full.

Auertisse gets a glimmer in her eye. She has an idea.

"Oh, no need to explain. I just thought you might be Cyborg – he hides his chocolate chip cookies on the top shelf." Auertisse said as she calmly exited and hid just outside the doorway, waiting to see if her hunch is correct.

KLUMP! KLONK! THUNK! Auertisse peeked back inside and found Beastboy perched atop the high shelves jamming more cookies into his mouth. Beastboy noticed Auertisse walking back in.

"Don't tell Cy." Beastboy said with his mouth full.

He glances back down at Auertisse, whose disbelief turns to a wise smile.

"Look at you." Auertisse said calmly.

"Yeah, I know. I disgust you." Beastboy said exasperated.

"No no, I mean... how did you get up there?" Auertisse asked him like she really wanted to know.

"I don't know. I guess I- I don't know. I was getting a cookie..." Beastboy said as he looked at the cookie and then couldn't help but eat it.

"And yet you are ten feet off the ground and have done a perfect split." Auertisse said calmly and wisely.

"No, this... this is just an accident." Beastboy said as he and Auertisse stared at each other for a beat.

Then... WHOOMP! Beastboy slipped and crashed to the kitchen floor. A cookie rolled over to Auertisse. She picked it up.

"There are no accidents. Come with me." Auertisse said sounding just like Midnight.

-At the mountains – Dawn-

Auertisse led Beastboy through the mountains.

"I know you're trying to be all mystical and kung fu-y, but could you at least tell me where we're going?" Beastboy asked while panting heavily.

Auertisse just continued walking.

-Later-

Auertisse was sitting beneath a tree. Winded and wheezing, Beastboy slowly worked his way up the hill. Beastboy set his gear down and looked around. Auertisse breathed in the morning mist as Beastboy approached.

"You dragged me all the way out here for a bath?" Beastboy asked as he began to pat his armpits with water.

"Green Bean, we do not wash our pits in The Pool of Sacred Tears." Auertisse told him calmly.

Beastboy quickly stopped. Realizing.

"The pool of..." Beastboy said in awe.

"This is where Midnight unravelled the mysteries of harmony and focus. This is the birthplace of Kung Fu." Auertisse told him.

We look down on them to reveal they are standing on rock shapes that resemble a yin yang symbol.

We then see a vision of Midnight doing Kung Fu moves. And end the vision.

Auertisse leapt atop one of the rocks and looked down at Beastboy.

"Do you want to learn Kung Fu?" Auertisse asked him as she stood in the ever cliché crane stance.

"Yeah..." Beastboy said awestruck.

"Then I am your master!" Auertisse said as she changed her stance to a more sturdy one.

"Okay!" Beastboy said as tears of joy welled up in his eyes.

"Don't cry." Auertisse told him.

"Okay." Beastboy said as he sniffed the tears back and smiled.

-Even Later-

Auertisse led Beastboy out into an open field.

"When you focus on Kung Fu, when you concentrate...you stink." Auertisse said frankly.

Beastboy scowled.

"But perhaps that is my fault. I cannot train you the way I have trained the Five. I now see that the way to get through to you is with this!" Auertisse said as she produced a bowl of dumplings.

"Oh great, `cause I'm hungry." Beastboy said and his stomach growled in agreement.

"Good. When you have been trained, you may eat. Let us begin." Auertisse said sternly.

Cue the training montage.

Beastboy's training unfolded - deep breathing exercises, balance tests, push ups, sit ups, climbing, etc. Through it all, he never got to eat, although he did indeed learn kung fu.

End montage.

Auertisse set a bowl of dumplings on a boulder.

"After you, green bean." Auertisse said as she took a seat on a nearby boulder.

Beastboy stopped short, suspicious.

"Just like that? No sit-ups? No ten mile hike?" Beastboy asked her suspisously.

"I vowed to train you... and you have been trained. You are free to eat." Auertisse said calmly.

Beastboy grabbed one of the dumplings in his chopsticks.

"Enjoy." Auertisse said holding her own chopsticks.

Beastboy raised the dumpling to his mouth. WHOOSH! Auertisse snatched the dumpling away and ate it herself.

"Hey!" Beastboy shouted at having his dumpling taken away.

"I said you are free to eat. Have a dumpling." Auertisse told him while smoothing her slightly greying hair out of her face.

Beastboy reached again as Auertisse leapt across the table and kicked the dumpling into the air.

"Hey!" Beastboy shouted as Auertisse ate it and he scowled.

"You are free to eat!" Auertisse told him as she sat back down.

"Am I?" Beastboy asked upset.

"Are you?" Auertisse asked challengingly.

Beastboy and Auertisse readied their chopsticks. Beastboy slammed the table and sent the bowl of dumplings airborne. Back and forth, Beastboy and Auertisse sparred, vying for the dumplings. Until there was only one left.

Auertisse tried every trick to keep the dumpling away from Beastboy. She hid it underneath one of the bowls. She used her chopsticks as weapons to smack Beastboy's chopsticks away. She attacked Beastboy with her bamboo staff.

But Beastboy skilfully managed to best Auertisse for the final dumpling. Auertisse smiled. Beastboy had passed the final test. But then Beastboy tossed the dumpling into Auertisse's open hand.

"I'm not hungry... master." Beastboy said calmly.

Master and pupil bowed to each other.

-With The Furious Five-

The Five raced toward a rope bridge stretched between mountain peaks. Slade appeared at the other end of the bridge. He roared in anger and raced toward them.

"Cut it!" Raven yelled as the others slashed at the ropes securing the bridge to the mountain.

Slade is almost upon them when Raven cut the final rope. But Slade was too close - Raven would have to launch herself into him. The two humans ended up in the middle of the bridge just as it started to tumble into the canyon below. The rest of the Five grab support ropes and hold on for dear life.

"Where's the Dragon Warrior?" Slade asked angrily.

"How do you know you're not looking at her?" Raven asked just as angrily.

Slade laughed. It echoed off the mountain walls.

"You think I'm a fool? I know you're not the Dragon Warrior. None of you!" Slade yelled at the Five.

The Five exchanged quick, worried looks.

"I heard how he fell out of the sky on a ball of fire, that he's a warrior unlike anything the world has ever seen." Slade said while nodding confidently.

The Five exchanged quick, confused looks.

"Beastboy?" Cyborg asked resisting the urge to scratch his head.

"So that is his name - Beastboy. Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary!" Slade said calmly.

Raven charged at him. The battle began. Raven punched Slade as he hung from the bridge. But Slade counters with a maneuver that sent Raven slamming backwards through the bridge's wooden slats. Then Raven got choked by the bridge's ropes. Cyborg turned to Starfire and Jasiri.

"We've got this. Help her!" Cyborg yelled at them.

Jasiri turned into a viper hybrid as she grabbed Slade, which caused him to let go of the ropes. Raven plummeted down into the gorge... but Starfire managed to catch her. Jasiri punched Slade repeatedly with his own fist. Slade managed to get a hand around Jasiri's "throat".

"Cyborg!" Jasiri yelled as she tried to get out of Slade's grip.

Robin is straining to hold the rope by himself.

"Go!*pause* Ack! What was I thinking?" Robin said as he resisted the urge to face palm.

Cyborg leapt into action, kicking Slade in the chest and sent him crashing through the slats of the bridge. He got back to his feet and started running back to them on a single strand of rope.

"Robin!" Raven yelled.

Robin whipped his end of the rope, sending a sine wave shooting toward Slade. The rope whipped Slade in the face and he got tangled up. The Five saw their chance.

"Now!" Raven yelled.

Working as a team, the Five kicked Tai Lung's butt every which way. Raven finally slashed the last rope holding up Slade. He plummeted down... down... disappearing into the mist. Robin whipped his end of the rope, returning his buddies safely to the mountain. The Five looked relieved. But the relief was short-lived...

Raven noticed that the other end of the bridge was circling the far mountain peak. Her eyes went wide with dread. The rope whipped up. But Slade wasn't there. With a crash, he suddenly appeared behind the Five.

"Auertisse taught you well..." Slade said as he jabbed a finger at Cyborg, who instantly froze.

"But she didn't teach you everything." Slade said as he lunged toward the rest.


	32. Chapter 32

Auertisse and Beastboy walked through the palace courtyard. Beastboy had an easy spring in his step.

"You have done well, Beastboy." Auertisse said while hoping not to boost his ego too much.

"Done well? Done well? I've done awesome!" Beastboy said as he spun around with outstretched arms and knocked Auertisse off balance.

Auertisse staggered back, regaining her dignity.

"The mark of a true hero is humility!*pause* But yes...you have done awesome." Auertisse said as she punched him playfully on the arm.

Beastboy smiled at her. As they laughed, an indistinct figure appeared in the clouds behind them. IT'S STARFIRE! Starfire carried the five to the palace grounds, crashing in a heap.

"Huh? Guys? Guys!" Beastboy yelled as he threw his backpack aside and ran over to them.

"They're dead? No, they're breathing! They're asleep? No, their eyes are open." Beastboy said trying to figure out what was wrong with them.

Starfire struggled to lift her head.

"We were no match for his nerve attack." Starfire said as her head collapsed to the ground.

"He has gotten stronger." Auertisse said sadly as she finally looked her age of 36.

"Who? Slade? Stronger?" Beastboy asked as Auertisse started freeing the Five.

First Jasiri, then Robin, then Cyborg released suddenly from his paralysis -

"He's too fast!" Cyborg yelled in fear.

He delivers a Kung Fu punch to Beastboy's head and then slowly realizes where he is.

"Sorry, BB." Cyborg apologised.

Auertisse kneeled before Raven and worked to free her.

"I thought we could stop him." Raven said almost apologetically.

"He could have killed you." Auertisse told them disappointedly.

"Why didn't he?" Robin asked through clenched teeth.

"So you could come back here and strike fear into our hearts. But it won't work!" Auertisse said inspirationally.

"Uh, it might, I mean, a little. I'm pretty scared." Beastboy said nervously.

"You can defeat him, grass stain." Auertisse told him with determination in her voice.

"Are you kidding? If they can't- They're five masters. I'm just one me." Beastboy said nervously.

"But you will have the one thing that no one else does." Auertisse said as she motioned for them to follow her.

She then led them to the moon pool. Beastboy stared at Auertisse – then looked up at the Scroll. Then back at Auertisse -

"You really believe I'm ready?" Beastboy asked her.

"You are, Beastboy." Auertisse said using his name for the first time since he knew her.

They looked at each other. This is a big moment. Midnight's staff hangs in a rack surrounded by candles. As Beastboy and The Five stood by, Auertisse carried the staff over to the reflecting pool. Auertisse bowed her head, then, eyes still closed, she raised the staff up above her head. Beastboy and the others watched, expectantly. The peach blossom petals rose in a flickering, spinning cloud up from the pool. The gentle tornado rose up around the ceiling carving that held the Dragon Scroll. The petals loosened the scroll from the dragon's mouth and it fell. At the last second, Auertisse reached out with the staff to catch the scroll on the end of it. She turned to Beastboy, holding it out.

"Behold. The Dragon Scroll... It is yours." Auertisse said solemnly.

"Wait, what happens when I read it?" Beastboy asked suddenly afraid for his house.

"No one knows, but legend says you will be able to hear a butterfly's wing-beat." Auertisse said mystically.

"Whoa! Really? That's cool." Beastboy said completely excited to open it.

"Yes. And see light in the deepest cave. You will feel the universe in motion around you." Auertisse said calmly.

"Wow! Can I punch through walls? Can I do a quadruple back flip? Will I have invisibility-"Beastboy said until Auertisse cut him off.

"Focus. Focus." Auertisse told him slightly nervous.

"Huh? Oh, yeah... yeah." Beastboy said as he grabbed the scroll.

"Read it, Po, and fulfil your destiny. Read it and become... the Dragon Warrior!" Auertisse told him calmly.

"Whooaa!" Beastboy said as he took a deep breath.

Then he tried to pull the top off it. It doesn't budge. He strained at it.

"It's impossible to open." Beastboy said as he strained again. He tried to bite it off...

"Come on baby. Come on now..." Beastboy said as Auertisse sighed and held out her hand.

Beastboy passed her the tube. Auertisse popped the end off effortlessly and passed it back to Beastboy.

"Thank you. I probably loosened it up for you though... Okay, here goes." Beastboy said as he glanced at the Five.

They look on in awe. Cyborg gives him the `thumbs up.' Beastboy started to unroll the scroll, the golden light bathing his face. Across the scroll we see Auertisse, excited that she is witness to history...

On Beastboy's face as he finishes opening the scroll.

Then -

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Beastboy screamed.

Auertisse looked concerned. The Five looked concerned. Beastboy looked utterly terrified.

"It's blank!" Beastboy told them.

"What?" Auertisse asked hoping he was making a joke.

"Here! Look!" Beastboy said as he tried to show Auertisse the scroll.

Auertisse covered her eyes and turned her head away.

"No! I am forbidden to look upon-"Auertisse said but she couldn't help herself.

She took a peek. Then she grabbed it off Beastboy. She turned it around, then upside down. She closed it and opened it again, astonished.

"Blank? I don't...I don't understand," Auertisse said as she turned away, contemplative, "What can this mean?"

"Okay. So like, Midnight was just a crazy old ninja after all?" Beastboy guessed.

"No. Midnight was wiser than us all." Auertisse said while pacing back and forth.

Beastboy sat heavily on the floor, dejected.

"Oh, come on! Face it. She picked me by accident. Of course I'm not the Dragon Warrior. Who am I kidding?" Beastboy asked everyone.

The Five didn't argue.

"But who will stop Slade?" Raven asked being the voice of reason as usual.

"He'll destroy everything...and everyone." Starfire said while hiding behind Robin's cape.

Auertisse put the scroll back in its container and sealed it. She looked oddly calm as she turned around.

"No, evacuate the Valley. You must protect the villagers from Slade's rage." Auertisse said calmly.

"What about you master?" Raven asked afraid for her teacher.

"I will fight him." Auertisse said with fierce determination.

"What?" Beastboy asked completely sure she had gone crazy.

"I can hold him off long enough for everyone to escape." Auertisse said calmly.

"But Aura, he'll kill you." Beastboy said afraid for her sanity.

"Then I will finally have paid for my mistake." Auertisse said calmly like she wasn't risking her life for theirs.

The Five and Beastboy looked devastated.

"Listen to me, all of you. It is time for you to continue your journey without me. I am very proud to have been your master." Auertisse said as she saluted them and turned away.

Beastboy was heartbroken. Starfire stepped forward and kindly put an arm around Beastboy, pulling away. Beastboy resisted for a moment, then let the Five lead him off.

-With The Five and Beastboy-

The Five arrived at the base of the stairs.

"We've got to get them out safely." Raven said emotionlessly.

Cyborg picked up a small child.

"Come, little one. Let's find your mama." Cyborg said as he tickled the child's tummy.

"Jasiri, gather the southern farmers. Robin, the north. Starfire, light the way." Raven commanded them.

They split up and began helping the villagers evacuate. Beastboy was left by himself. He made his way through the bustling town. Beastboy approached the Noodle Shop.

"Hey, Sis." Beastboy said sadly when he saw his student.

"BB!" Pyra yelled as she ran to hug her brother.

Beastboy gratefully returns the hug.

"Good to see you again Bro." Pyra told him with a smirk on her lips.

"Good to see you too." Beastboy said listlessly.

Pyra went back to packing things up.

"Let's go Po. So, for our next shop, it's time to face it - the future of noodles is dice-cut vegetables, no longer slices." Pyra said calmly.

Pyra started to walk off, unaware that Beastboy wasn't following.

"Also, I was thinking, maybe this time we'll have a kitchen you can actually stand to be in. Hmm? You like that?" She asked him.

She turned and noticed that Beastboy hadn't moved. She walked to Po sympathetically.

"Beastboy bro, I'm sorry things didn't work out. It just... wasn't meant to be." Pyra said trying to comfort her little brother.

Beastboy slumped against the cart.

"Beastboy, forget everything else. Your destiny still awaits. We are noodle folk - broth runs deep through our veins." Pyra told him calmly hoping he would give up on the idea of Kung Fu.

"I don't know, Sis. Honestly, sometimes I can't believe I'm actually your brother." Beastboy said sadly.

Pyra was taken aback.

"Beastboy, I think it's time I told you something I should have told you a long time ago..." Pyra said almost as if she had to get something big off her chest.

"Okay." Beastboy said.

Pyra paused dramatically.

"The secret ingredient of our secret ingredient soup!" Pyra said excitedly.

Beastboy feigned excitement.

"Oh." Beastboy said simply.

"C'mere! The secret ingredient is...nothing!" Pyra said.

"Huh?" Beastboy asked.

"You heard me. Nothing. There is no secret ingredient!" Pyra told him.

"Wait wait...it's just plain old noodle soup? You don't add some kind of special sauce or something?" Beastboy asked his sister.

"Don't have to. To make something special, you just have to believe it's special." Pyra told him showing the wisdom it took for her to make the business a success all by herself.

Beastboy looked at his sister with dawning realization. He picked up the Scroll. For a moment, Beastboy stared at his reflection on the scroll, then he smiled serenely. He got it now.

"There is no secret ingredient..." Beastboy said as he turned back to look at the palace.

-With Auertisse at dawn-

At the top of the stairs, Auertisse looks upon the Valley, awaiting her fate. With a gust of wind, Slade appeared before her.

"I have come home, Master Cutie." Slade said using his old nickname for Auertisse.

"This is no longer your home. And I am no longer your master." Auertisse told him venomously.

She once had a crush on him (**Me: I know eww just eww but hey just roll with it**) and well let's just say she didn't take heart break at all well.

"Yes. You have a new favourite. So where is this...Beastboy? Did I scare him off?" Slade asked almost flirtingly (**Me: Excuse me while I vomit *runs to a bathroom***).

"This battle is between you and me." Auertisse told him while standing her ground.

"So that is how it's going to be?" Slade asked her.

"That is how it must be." Auertisse told him.

They fought. At last. Slade punched Auertisse clean through the doors of the Jade Palace. Slade entered.

"I rotted in jail for sixteen years because of your weakness!" Slade yelled at her.

"Obeying your master is not weakness!" Auertisse shouted back.

"You knew I was the Dragon Warrior! You always knew..." Slade yelled at her.

Cue flash back.

_A young Slade looks expectant. Midnight shakes her head._

_"But when Midnight said otherwise, what did you do? What did you do?" Slade said in a voice over._

_Slade looks to Auertisse who averts her eyes and the past dissolves into the present._

"NOTHING!" Slade yelled at her when they came out of the flash back.

Auertisse took a Kung Fu stance.

"You were not meant to be the Dragon Warrior! That was not my fault!" Auertisse told him.

"NOT YOUR FAULT?" Slade yelled enraged.

In his anger he knocked over the Kung Fu artefacts and threw them at Auertisse.

"WHO FILLED MY HEAD WITH DREAMS? WHO DROVE ME TO TRAIN UNTIL MY BONES CRACKED? WHO DENIED ME MY DESTINY?" Slade yelled at her while forgetting she trained alongside him.

Auertisse dodged each attack.

"It was never my decision to make!" Auertisse yelled almost having tears in her eyes at having her oldest friend blame her for something she didn't even do.

Slade pulled Midnight's staff from the shrine.

"It is now." Slade asked her as they fought.

Slade pinned Auertisse down with the staff.

"Give me the scroll!" Slade commanded her.

"I would rather die." Auertisse told him with venom lacing every word.

They struggled for a beat until finally, the staff splintered into a hundred pieces. Auertisse looked back at the pieces and a flutter of peach tree petals flew by. Caught off guard, Auertisse got kicked by Slade into a column. Auertisse climbed the column to the rafters. Slade followed and sent them both crashing down through the roof. Lightning flashes.

Grappling in mid-air, Slade his hands around Auertisse's throat as they crash back through the roof. They kicked apart. Auertisse crashed to the floor and landed hard. Slade bounced off the wall and threw a lantern to the floor. Flames go everywhere. Slade's arms are aflame as he charged at Auertisse.

"All I ever did, I did to make you like me as more than a friend! Tell me how much you like me, Aura! Tell me! TELL ME!" Slade demanded.

THOOM! A fiery punch sent Auertisse skidding across the floor and crashing against the reflecting pool. The flames extinguished and Slade extended his built in claws.

"I have always liked you as more than a friend. From the first moment, I've been love with you. And it was my love that blinded me. I loved you too much to see what you were becoming. What I was turning you into. I'm... sorry." Auertisse told him weakly.

Slade stopped in his tracks. Auertisse waited. Slade's expression went cold. He grabbed Auertisse by the throat.

"I don't want your apology. I want my scroll!" Slade yelled at her.

He held Auertisse up to the ceiling. Looking up, Slade bristled when he saw the scroll was missing.

"WHAT? WHERE IS IT?" Slade said as he slammed Auertisse to the floor.

"Dragon Warrior has taken scroll halfway across China by now. You will never see that scroll, Slade. Never. Never..." Auertisse told him weakly as blood trickled out the corner of her mouth.

Slade was furious. He roared in anger, ready to strike Auertisse.

Suddenly...

"Hey! Leave my friend alone!" Beastboy yelled as he enter the hall.

Slade turned around to find Beastboy standing in the doorway.

"Would have been here sooner but well. Stairs..." Beastboy said with a shrug.

Slade casted Auertisse aside.

"Who are you?" Slade asked him as Auertisse watched helplessly.

"Dude, I am the Dragon Warrior." Beastboy said proudly.

"You? Him?*to Auertisse* He's a scrawny teenager*back to Beastboy*You're a scrawny teen. What are you gonna do, little guy? Bite my ankles?

"Don't tempt me. Haha. No. I'm gonna use this. You want it? Come and get it." Beastboy said as he showed him the Dragon Scroll.

From out of nowhere, Slade appeared and punched Beastboy across the room, grabbing the scroll knocked from Beastboy's hands.

"Finally!" Slade yelled happily.

Beastboy bounced off a nearby pillar (**Me: I swear Beastboy is made of rubber. How else could he survive all of Raven's tantrums?**) and slammed back into Slade, sending him flying into a column. Beastboy put on a brave face and struck a pose as Tai Lung recovered and charged. Beastboy turned to run. Slade quickly caught up and they both sailed off the Palace steps.

Beastboy clung to the scroll as Slade delivered a kick and sent him crashing onto the theatre rooftops below. Beastboy rolled down off a tree and used the recoil to whip back and smash Slade. He briefly skidded across the rooftop and came right back at Beastboy.

"That scroll is mine!" Slade yelled at him.

Down the Theatre steps, Beastboy and Slade grappled for the scroll. Beastboy was oblivious to the effects of crashing down stairs and in slow motion, his tiny bony butt pressed down on Tai Lung's head. As they crashed through the Gateway the scroll was knocked loose. Slade went for the scroll but Beastboy snatched it away using a noodle lasso. The scroll flew towards him and bounced off his head.

Slade leapt for it, but Beastboy grabbed his leg and pulled him back down onto a cart which see-saws Beastboy into the air. In mid-air, Beastboy slurped the noodle. Up and over the rooftops, Beastboy landed in a grove of bamboo trees and into a nearby wok shop. The scroll rolled to a stop in the street.

As Slade made his move on the scroll, Beastboy turned the array of overturned woks into a shell game, sliding the woks around to hide the scroll.

"Lightning!" Beastboy said smugly.

Slade knocked the woks away and exposed the scroll as Beastboy used his bamboo stilts to block Slade. The villain swiped out the stilts and brought Beastboy down on top of him as the scroll rolled down the steps towards the river. Beastboy got thrown into a fireworks booth. As Slade chased down the scroll, he turned back to see Beastboy flying through the fireworks-filled sky.

Beastboy slammed through Slade and crashed into a rock wall. The scroll flew out of his hand and landed in the mouth of an ornamental rooftop dragon. He looked back at Slade, who saw where the scroll has landed. Via the magic of cookie-vision, Beastboy effortlessly scaled the building. Slade was shocked.

"The scroll has given him power.*Pause*NOOO0!" Slade yelled as he took a giant leap and kicked the wall.

The resulting shockwave collapsed the building. Amazingly, Beastboy skipped across the falling roof tiles to reach the scroll in mid-air as Slade leapt up behind him and unleashed a punishing blow that sent Beastboy smashing into the ground. As Slade landed, he delivered a final devastating punch. As the dust settled, Slade is looming over Beastboy in the impact crater.

"Finally... oh yes... the power of the Dragon Scroll... is mine!" Slade said completely out of breath.

Slade grabbed for the scroll and opened it. His face fell.

"It's NOTHING!" Slade yelled in anger.

Beastboy stirred.

"It's okay. I didn't get it the first time either." Beastboy said serenely.

"What?" Slade asked disbelievingly.

Beastboy got to his feet.

"There is no secret ingredient dude. It's just you." Beastboy said sounding surprisingly wise.

Slade snarled and lunged at Beastboy.

"RRRAAAH!" Slade yelled.

"AAAAGGGHH!" Beastboy yelled.

Slade attacks Beastboy's nerve points. But Beastboy began giggling.

"Stop! Stop it! I'm gonna pee! Don't! Don't!" Beastboy said in between laughs.

Slade's nerve attack had no effect on Beastboy. Frustrated, he delivered a double-fisted punch to Beastboy's belly. The shockwave rippled through Beastboy's entire body and Beastboy's arms came back and struck Slade, sending the mad man crashing back into a building. Beastboy looked at his hands, amazed at what he just did. Slade rose from the rubble and ran at Beastboy again. But Beastboy struck back, using an unorthodox panda-style technique, even getting Slade to chomp down on his own hand.

Beastboy gave Slade a butt bump that sent him crashing into a building. Slade emerged and attempted one more lunge at Beastboy. But Beastboy prepared... and Slade was swiftly met by Beastboy's IRON BONES! He was launched into the air. Beastboy waited... and waited... until finally, Slade appeared in the sky and crashed to the ground. Slade was battered, but still defiant.

"You... can't defeat me. You're just a tiny, scrawny green bean!" Slade said in between pants.

SCHWING! Beastboy grabs Slade's finger. Slade's eyes go wide.

"I'm not a tiny, scrawny green bean. I'm the tiny, scrawny green bean." Beastboy said as his pinky popped up.

Slade gasps.

"The Wuxi Finger Hold!" Slade said fearfully.

"Oh, you know this hold?" Beastboy said using the same words Auertisse used on him.

"You're bluffing. You're bluffing! Aura didn't teach you that." Slade said like he was right.

"Nope. I figured it out." Beastboy said smugly.

He flexes his pinky...

"Later dude!" Beastboy said still smug.

KA-THOOM!

-With the Furious Five-

A mushroom cloud appeared over Jump Valley, sweeping past the Furious Five and the fleeing villagers.

-A little later with Beastboy-

Villagers emerged from hiding. Beastboy walked out from the mist looking very much like the warrior from the opening dream.

"Look! The Dragon Warrior." A random villager shouted.

As he neared, we see that his hat was an upside down wok and his scarf was a torn apron. Villagers cheer the Dragon Warrior. Pyra emerged from the crowd.

"That's my boy. That small, lovely kung fu warrior is my little bro!" Pyra yelled tears of joy in her eyes.

"Thanks, Sis." Beastboy said as he hugged his sister.

The wok fell off Beastboy's head and rolled on the ground until Robin appeared and stopped it. The rest of the Five are with him. Beastboy took notice.

"Hey, guys." Beastboy said while waving at them.

"Master." Raven said as she bowed deeply. The others followed.

"Master." The rest of the Five said in unison.

"Master? *pause*Master Auertisse!" Beastboy said as he raced toward the Jade Palace.

He then turned into a peregrine falcon and flew up to the top. When he arrived he ran straight through the door to find Auertisse is still lying in the scroll room, her eyes closed. Beastboy rushed to her side.

"Master! Auertisse! Aura! Are you okay?" Beastboy asked worriedly.

Auertisse weakly opened her eyes.

"Beastboy! You're alive!*then darkly*Or we're both dead." Auertisse said weakly as she wiped the blood off her face.

"No, Master, I didn't die. I defeated Tai Lung!" Beastboy told her almost desperately.

"You did?" Auertisse asked as she smiled and shook her head in disbelief.

"Wow. It is as Midnight foretold - You are the Dragon Warrior. You have brought peace to this Valley. And to me. Thank you. Thank you, BB. Thank you..." Auertisse said as she closed her eyes.

She was still. Beastboy started freaking out.

"No! Master! No No No! Don't die, Aura. Please..."Beastboy pleaded.

Auertisse's eyes snapped open.

"I'm not dying, you idiot- ah, Dragon Warrior. I'm simply at peace. Finally." Auertisse said calmly.

"Oh. So, um, I should...stop talking?" Beastboy asked.

"If you can." Auertisse told him with a small smile on her face.

Beastboy nodded reverently as Auertisse closed her eyes again. Master and pupil lied next to each other. Beastboy tried to remain still, but it's hard. He's about to say something, but he stopped himself. He fidgeted for a beat, then couldn't control himself any longer.

"Want to get something to eat?" Beastboy asked Auertisse.

"*sigh*Yeah." Auertisse said exasperatedly.

BEEP!

Each Teen Titan woke up with a start.

"What a weird dream." They said in unison even though they didn't know the others said it as well.

-Line Break-

**Me: And the Author Notes are back. Big thanks to rinpup14 for reviewing. I know I should have done this on the top but hey what ya gonna do.**

**Raven: And here's the missing disclaimer from the last chapter. Chavonnie26 owns only Jasiri, Midnight and herself as Auertisse and Pyra belongs to SkysFireLady15. **

**Me: Thanks Rae. See you all soon. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts working on the next chapter that I need a couple ideas for***


	33. Chapter 33

**Me: The Scottish are coming! The Scottish are coming! One day till she lands!**

**Raven: Calm down. There is a possibility that she won't be around all the time.**

**Me: I know that but it's a very small possibility.**

**Raven: Still it is a possibility. **

**Me: I know. *sigh* I own only Jasiri, Midnight and Auertisse.**

**Raven: Hey cheer up. At least you don't have Jasiri bugging you.**

**Me: Wow you're cheering me up? Man this is ironic.**

**Raven: I know now onto the fic.**

-Line Break-

Ah Valentine's Day. That glorious day each year that we send our loved ones gifts and tokens of our affections. Yes everyone loves Valentine's Day. Including the Teen Titans.

"Happy Birthday Jasiri." Auertisse told her while passing her on her way to her room.

Auertisse had a giant stuffed teddy bear that had her name on its belly in one arm and a box of chocolate in the other.

"Thanks Aura." Jasiri said holding her own bear and chocolates.

"Wait I know I have it on me. Here." Auertisse said as she put down her bear and chocolates and pulled out a small rectangular box and gave it to Jasiri.

"Happy Birthday." Auertisse said with a large smile as Jasiri opened her present.

Her present was a simple charm bracelet that had each of the symbols for the Titans on it including the ever famous T. But weirdly there wasn't a Yin and Yang symbol for Auertisse instead there was a charm of a sun and a moon fused together. Jasiri looked at her friend in confusion.

"I decided to change my symbol." Auertisse told her as Jasiri finally noticed her new outfit.

Auertisse now wore a silver short sleeve top, gold leggings, silver boots, silver fingerless gloves and on her shirt was a blue symbol matching the one on Jasiri's bracelet.

"Nice. So what movie are we watching tonight?" Jasiri asked her as she put the bracelet on.

"It's a surprize." Auertisse said mischievously when in reality she forgot to pick the movie.

"JASIRI!" Raven yelled as she chased after the birthday girl.

Jasiri was in such a Valentine's Day mood that she decorated Raven's room for the occasion. I know horrible idea but hey at least she didn't do the same to Auertisse's room.

-Later at Movie Night-

Everyone was snuggling up against their respective boyfriend/girlfriends. Auertisse was cuddling with Herald, Beastboy with Jasiri, Starfire with Robin, Cyborg with Bumble Bee and Pyra with Speedy. The only two people on their own were Raven and Midnight.

"So which movie is it this time?" Raven asked hoping that it might not be a total love fest.

"One of the most romantic movies ever! It's called the Princess Bride." Auertisse said happily as the movie started playing.

Raven and Midnight groaned but watched the movie anyway. It was actually pretty good. When the movie was over everyone went to bed. Herald stayed in Auertisse's room (**Me: Not like that you perverts**), Bumble Bee stayed with Cyborg, Midnight stayed with Jasiri and Pyra stayed with Speedy in the only guest room. Soon they were all asleep and all had the same dream. (**Me: I know I've already done this but hey it's fun to do! Plus it's better than having them sucked into a movie where they could actually die.**)

-The Titans Dream-

It was a sunny day in Jump City, California. Unfortunately for Raven Roth, she was sick with the flu. Normally, she would have used her powers to instantly cure herself but this illness was incredibly resistant to her powers so she was forced to recover the old fashioned way. But lucky for her she was able to get out of a team building exercise with Robin and the others but that left only Midnight, who had broken her leg, to take care of her.

"It's a beautiful day outside and I'm stuck here sick as a dog," Raven said to herself.

"Hello, Raven. How are you feeling?" Midnight asked as she walked into the room on crutches while carrying a book.

"Terrible," Raven complained. "It's a sunny day outside and I can't magic myself back to normal because of this stupid magic resistant flu!" She then had a coughing fit.

"I know," The ninja sighed giving her a cough drop "That's why the others are spending the week at Titans East Tower until you get better."

That wasn't improving the cloaked girl's attitude.

"That's why I'm going to keep you company and read you a story," Midnight continued.

She showed Raven the book she was holding.

"_The Heroine Bride_?" asked Raven.

"Yes it is Auertisse's remade version of the _Princess Bride_." Midnight told her as she sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"But I've already seen the movie and read the book." Raven said a little agitated.

"But this version has our friends playing the parts." Midnight told her reasonably.

Raven coughed and thought about it. Yes, she'd seen the movie and read the book but she doubted Auertisse would want to change the story to make it too revealing about the Teen Titans. She needed the story to be as good as the original version.

"Alright." Raven said as she got more comfortable.

Midnight nodded, whipped out some reading glasses and started reading.

-Line Break-

**Me: So like it, love it or adore it? I'm just teasing so same deal as last time. No A/N until I finish this part of the story but the disclaimer will be up. Well see you all in the next chapter. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts typing the next chapter***


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I own only Auertisse, Midnight and Jasiri.**

* * *

Auertisse Logan was the only child of Garfield (Beastboy) and Jasiri Logan. The Logans lived on a farm in the kingdom of Jump. Auertisse was a beautiful young heroine who was a pescitarian. Her favourite pastimes were riding her motorized scooter, reading, rebelling against her parents, and picking on the farm boy. His name was Malcolm Duncan (Herald). Whenever she became frustrated with her parents, she would take it out on Malcolm by making him do various chores that she was supposed to do.

"Malcolm! I want you to sharpen and polish the tools. I want them to be so sharp I can slice a hair in half and I want to be able to see my reflection in them," Auertisse ordered.

"Whatever you say, Auertisse," Malcolm said humbly.

"And for the last time! Call me Aura!" she shouted.

"Whatever you say…Aura."

"Whatever you say" is all he said to her. No matter what Aura ordered Malcolm to do that was all he said. Aura slowly realized that whenever Malcolm said "Whatever you say", he really meant to say "I love you."

"Malcolm, I want you to chop the firewood so Dad can start dinner…please?" Aura asked.

Malcolm looked deeply into Aura's dark gold eyes. "Whatever you say."

It wasn't long until Aura realized that she truly loved him back. Whenever they made eye contact Aura would blush a deep red. One day she confronted him about her feelings for him.

"Malcolm?"

The farm boy looked up from his work. "Yes?"

His chocolate brown eyes stared deeply into her dark gold ones.

Aura began to stutter. "Uh…I…uh…well, I wanted to tell you…um…I…uh…love…you," she squeaked.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I…love…you," she repeated. "I love you, Malcolm."

Malcolm silently chuckled which quickly turned into laughter. Aura was not amused. "Hey! I swallow my pride and confess my feelings and you respond by laughing at me?"

Malcolm calmed down and wiped his eyes. "Forgive me, Aura. I didn't mean to offend you. Took you long enough to return my feelings."

Now it was Aura's turn to be confused. "What are you talking about?"

Malcolm gave her a warm smile. "Didn't you realize that whenever I said 'whatever you say' it's my way of saying 'I love you'?"

Aura was in shock. "I had no idea."

Malcolm chuckled. "Don't worry. I forgive you. I'm glad you feel the same way about me."

Aura blushed. "I love you, Malcolm."

Malcolm leaned closer to her. "Call me Mal."

The two of them then shared their first kiss.

* * *

Mal wished to marry Aura. When he approached her parents for their blessing, they approved…if he can earn his own fortune. Mal received money as payment for years while working for the Logans, but it was not enough to support a happy home. So, he packed his things and used what money he had to board a ship that will take him across the ocean where he will seek his fortune. This did not sit well with Aura at all.

"What if something happens to you?" she asked full of worry. "I'll go with you! We'll elope instead! Who cares if you don't have money? I'm happy as long as I'm with you, Mal!"

"And make your parents hate me even more than they usually do?" Mal responded. "If I want to KEEP you happy, I have to keep food in your stomach and money in our pockets."

"I don't care if we have to live on the streets! I only care about us being together!"

"I care too," Mal replied. "But I want to have your parents' blessing on our marriage and in order to do so, I have to take this trip. I already have your grandfather's blessing. It's only natural I get your parents' blessing too."

He was right. Aura sighed. "I'm still worried that something will happen to you."

Mal shut his suitcase and sighed. He turned around and gave Aura a warm kiss. "Nothing bad will happen to me," he whispered.

"How do you know?" Aura asked sceptically.

"This is true love and nothing can stop true love! Nothing!" he assured her.

Unfortunately, the Dread Pirate Herald, who was notoriously known for leaving no captive alive, attacked Mal's ship. When Aura heard that Mal was murdered, she was overcome with grief. She locked herself in her room and refused to come out. She refused to eat and she cried herself to sleep every night.

Her parents tried to help her but it was in vain. She knew that they'd never understand the heartache she was going through.

"Way to go, son-in-law," Grandfather Mnyama said to Garfield. "You turned down her only chance to happiness. And now it is literally sleeping with the fishes! I hope you're happy!"

"Father, I did what was best for her!" Garfield argued.

"Did I turn _you_ down when you asked for permission to marry my Jasiri? You were no different than the Duncan boy! How could you do this to your only child?"

Jasiri listened to her daughter mourn the death of the Logan farm boy. Who could love a simple farm boy without a penny to his name?

"I will never love again," Aura vowed, her voice void of any emotion. Jasiri vowed to make her daughter happy again, even if it killed her.

* * *

_Midnight looked up from the book and saw Raven dangerously close to falling asleep. She whipped out an air horn and woke Raven up._

_"If you're bored with this story, we can always try my other favourite story," Midnight said._

_"Not _War and Peace_!" Raven whined._

_With Midnight's monotone it would be sure to send her straight to sleep._

_"Stay awake then!"_

_"Okay but can you skip to the part where she gets kidnapped? That's when the story gets juicy!" Raven requested._

_Midnight frowned. "I'll skip to the part where Aura gets betrothed to the spoiled Prince Red X. How about that?"_

_Raven thought it over. "Well, that is close to where she gets kidnapped…okay! Go from there!"_

_"Alright but I must remind you that this now takes place a few years later."_

_"If the original version said the dude was gone for five years, how long will he be gone in this version?" asked Raven._

_Midnight turned the page. "Three years."_

_"That's good enough for me!"_

* * *

For three years, Aura refused to go anywhere she and Mal used to go. She couldn't do her chores without her eyes flooding with tears. Therapy did not help. Eventually, Jasiri received news that would get her daughter out of this depression.

She knocked on her daughter's bedroom door. "Auertisse! Good news!"

"Mal miraculously survived the Dread Pirate Herald and has come back?" guessed Aura through the door. This has been the same "guess" that she has been using whenever her parents made her guess her surprises.

"No, silly!" Jasiri replied, ignoring the guess. "His Highness, Prince Red X, has selected you to be his bride!"

Footsteps could be heard quickly approaching the door. "WHAT?" Aura guessed as she slammed her door open. The look on her face clearly said that she was anything but happy.

"You have been in this depression for three years. It's time you've moved on!" Jasiri said firmly.

Aura sadly frowned. "Nothing can make me move on from him."

"Well, I sent your picture and resume to the castle and Prince Red X has selected you as his bride! Aren't you excited? You're going to be a princess!" Jasiri exclaimed.

"I'd rather be killed by the Dread Pirate Herald than marry a total stranger," Aura responded sadly. Unfortunately, Aura was whisked away to the castle where Prince Red X lived. He assured her that she would learn to love him but the reality warper refused.

Whenever she was given a gift from the prince, she would sell it on eBay the next day. Every frilly pink gown she was given she burned to a fine crisp with her powers. Her table manners were no better. True, she had them but she rarely showed them in front of Red X. Meat was in every meal, something Aura despised except for the fish. Aura would either leave the meat untouched or she would throw it across the table, hitting Red X in the face.

Whenever she was at her wits' end with Red X, Aura would ride her scooter through a trail in the woods to clear her head. One day, she came across three men who appeared to be lost.

"Excuse me, miss," asked the first traveller. He had fire red hair and spoke with an English accent. "We are lost, humble travellers. Perhaps you could point us to the nearest village?"

"Sorry, sir. The nearest village isn't for a couple of miles," Aura answered.

The red headed traveller smiled evilly. "Then no one will hear you scream."

"Huh?"

Before Aura could react, the second traveller, who was African, smothered her with chloroform. She tried to struggle but the foul odour overcame her and she passed out.

* * *

The second traveller, Victor 'Vic' Stone (Cyborg), took the unconscious Aura off of her scooter. The leader, Mad Mod, tore off a piece of Aura's shirt and tied it to the bars of the scooter. He then let it go forward to who knows where. They then prepared a boat that would take them to the neighbouring kingdom of Steel.

The third traveller, Richard 'Dick' Grayson (Robin), looked confused as Mod did this. "What did you just do?"

Mod chuckled to himself. "I just sent a piece of the princess's dress to the kingdom of Amity. The people there will think the people of the neighbouring kingdom of Steel abducted her. And when Jump realizes that Steel murdered their beloved princess, then there will be war."

That made Vic nervous. "Uh…y-y-you didn't say anything about killing her! I don't like it."

"I've hired you to start a war my duckies!" Mod exclaimed. "It's an esteemed line of work, with a long and celebrated tradition!"

Dick whispered to Vic. "That explains a lot of the wars in history."

"Yeah," Vic said, "but I just don't think it's right, killing an innocent girl."

Mod started to lose his temper. "Am I going mad, or did the word 'think' escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains; you were hired for your brawn, you simpleton."

Dick agreed. "I'm with Vic on this one. She's too pretty to be killed. If she wasn't engaged to Prince Red X, I would have taken a shot at her. Plus she has powers over reality that could be really useful."

Mod then turned to Dick. "Oh, the sot has spoken. What happens to her is not truly your concern. I will kill her. And remember this, never forget this: when I found you, you were so slobbering drunk, you couldn't buy whiskey!" Mod then turned back to Vic. "And YOU: friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed, in Hoboken?"

The boat then set sail.

"That Mod… he can fuss," said Dick in a tone that Vic recognized.

"Oh! Fuss…fuss…Ah! I think he likes to scream at us!" he said excitedly as the two started their favourite rhyming game.

Dick chuckled. "He probably means no harm."

Vic snickered. "He's really, very short on charm." This was fun.

"You, my friend, have a great gift of rhyme," Dick complimented.

"Yeah…yeah, most of the time."

Mod was starting to get annoyed. "Enough of that! Get to your stations!"

Dick wasn't going to quit yet. "Hey, Vic! Are there rocks up ahead?"

"If there are, we'd all be dead!" Vic exclaimed happily.

Mod had enough. "No more rhymes now! I mean it!"

"Anybody want a peanut?"

"GAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

* * *

_Midnight was interrupted by Raven's laughter, which quickly turned into a coughing fit.(The flu cancelled out her powers)_

_Midnight gave her another cough drop. _

_"Thanks, Midnight! Sorry for scaring you! That part gets funnier every time I hear it!"_

* * *

Aura moaned as she slowly woke up. She found herself on a wooden sailboat accompanied by the three travellers who knocked her out. She scowled at them. Too bad none of them saw it.

"We'll reach the cliffs at dawn," Mod announced.

"So that's what you're doing, huh? Throwing me off of a cliff?" Aura said as bravely as she could which was pretty brave considering she could teleport once her feet hit solid ground.

Mod jumped surprised his hostage was awake.

"Ah, the princess is awake!" he said calmly. Aura glared daggers at him, trying to look tough. "My name is Mad Mod from the country of England. That is Victor Stone," he pointed to the African giant, "and that is Richard Grayson." He pointed to the pale-skinned man who was staring at the horizon behind them. "And I would like to know why you keep doing that!" He shouted to Dick.

Dick shrugged. "Just making sure we're not being followed," he said innocently.

The man scoffed. "That would be inconceivable," he said confidently.

Now it was Aura's turn to scoff. "Despite what you think, you're gonna get caught anyway. When Red X catches you, it will be off with all of your heads."

"Of all the necks on this boat, princess," the English man said, "the one you should be worried about is your own." Dick looked back at the horizon again. "Stop doing that! We can all relax, it's almost over!"

Aura chuckled. What idiots! This is obviously their first job. Hard to believe how inexperienced these idiots were.

"Mad Mod, are you sure that were not being followed?" asked Dick.

"I told you, Mr Grayson, it would be completely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable." Mod replied. "No one in Steel knows what we've done, and no one in Jump could have gotten here so fast." He leaned back pleased with himself and closed his eyes. A split-second later he opened one eye. "Out of curiosity, why do you ask?"

Dick shrugged. "Oh, no reason," he said casually. "It's just that that I looked behind us and there's something there."

"WHAT?" The three men looked where Dick was pointing. Sure enough, there was a shadow shaped like a ship coming in their direction. It was pretty far but it could easily catch up to them. Mod tried not to jump to conclusions. "Perhaps it's just a local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise at night…in shark-infested waters."

_SPLASH!_

The three men turned around and saw that their captive jumped ship when they weren't looking. Clearly, she didn't hear the part where Mod mentioned that the waters were full of sharks.

"Bloody Hell!" (**Me: Please excuse my swearing but this is a teen rated fic**) Mod exclaimed. He turned to Vic. "Jump in after her!"

"I can't swim," Vic said indicating all his bionics. Mod turned to Dick.

"I only dog-paddle."

"GRRRRRR!"

Aura was about twenty feet from the boat when a horrible ghostly trumpet song filled the night air. If one can manage to listen carefully (provided their eardrums don't start bleeding), Aura could have sworn the song sounded like it was her name.

"AAAAUUUUURRRRRRAAAAAAA!"

A large dorsal fin suddenly appeared five feet from her face. She gasped. Sharks! Several more fins surfaced from the water slowly circling around her. Mod decided to use the sharks as the source of the song to scare Aura back into the boat.

"Do you know what that sound is, Highness? Those are the Trumpeting Sharks. If you don't believe me, just wait. They always grow louder when they're about to feed on human flesh!" Normally, Aura would retort by saying there was no such thing but now was not the time for arguments. "If you swim back now, I promise, no harm will come to you. I doubt you'll get such an offer from a shark."

* * *

_Midnight looked up again when she heard a strange noise. It was just Raven chewing on her cloak._

_"Will you calm down?" she asked exasperatedly. "You know she doesn't get eaten by the sharks!"_

_"I know that! Eels I can handle, but why did you make it sharks?" Raven asked._

_"Do you want Auertisse to get sued for copyright issues?"_

_"No."_

_"Then sharks it is! Now spit out your cloak so I can continue the story."_

* * *

Before one of the sharks could even take a bite out of the Keeper, Vic punched the shark in the snout and scooped her back into the boat.

"Put her down! Put her down!" ordered Mod. Vic did as he was told as Mod started binding Aura's wrists but she kept phasing out of her bonds. Dick looked back at the fast-approaching ship as Mod dipped the binds in lavender water and bound her again. This time the bonds didn't slide off and Aura looked to be in pain.

"Dude! I think the ship is getting closer!"

"He is no concern of ours!" Mod yelled. "Sail on!"

He then glared at Aura who was clenching her teeth. "I suppose you think you're very brave, don't you?"

Aura scowled at the man as the skin around the binds started to blister. "I'm a lot braver than you!"

The rest of the voyage was in silence. Occasionally looking at the mysterious ship that was slowly getting closer.

By dawn, they were closer to their destination. Dick looked back for the umpteenth time. "Man! He's even closer than he was ten minutes ago! You think he's using the same wind we're using?"

"What difference does it make? Whoever he is, he's too late now! Behold! The Cliffs of Lunacy!" announced Mod. Aura looked and saw very high cliffs. A fall from a height like that would surely kill her. Why they were called the Cliffs of Lunacy she'll never know. "Hurry up! Move the thing! And…that other thing!" he ordered.

Looks like they were expected since there was a harness waiting for them. Mod began gloating victoriously. "Looks like we're safe from our mystery friend," he said as Vic fasted Aura to the harness he put on. "Victor is the only one I know who is strong enough to pull us to the top. Our mystery friend will be circling for hours to find a harbour."

Aura was shocked as Victor started climbing the rope (Dick and Mod were also fastened). Mod wasn't kidding! Victor is strong.

Dick looked down and his eyes widened. "Dude! He's climbing the rope! And he's gaining on us! Man, he's fast!"

"Inconceivable!" Mod said in shock. He looked at Victor. "Faster! Pick up the pace!"

"But Mad Mod," Vic whined, "I thought I was going faster!"

Mod growled in frustration. "You're supposed to be this Goliath! And yet he gains!"

"But I'm carrying three people," Vic complained. "He's only carrying the clothes on his back!"

"No excuses!" Mod scolded. "Go faster or I'll find myself a new giant!"

"Please don't fire me, Mod," Vic whined.

They finally reached the top of the cliffs. They removed their harnesses and tossed them aside. Aura could tell they were standing in the ruins of an abandoned arcade.

She managed to get a glimpse of him. His glowing aura meant one thing: he's got superpowers! Not that Aura was surprised; superheroes and villains wandered around Jump all the time. Now that Aura thought about it, she'd seen that ship before in a book. That's the pirate ship _Gabriel_. It's the same ship the Dread Pirate Herald captained. Then that must mean Herald was the one following them. Hopefully her captors hadn't recognized him yet. She'd take her chances with Herald. Aura had only heard rumours that Herald was the most powerful and oldest superhuman ever. If he was a so powerful, why wasn't he flying to the top of the cliffs?

Aura's train of thought was broken when she saw Mod cut the rope!

* * *

Aura gasped as the rope was severed. The three men looked over the edge to see if Herald fell to his…uh…death? Lo and behold, he was holding onto the wall of the cliff.

Dick whistled. "Wow, he's got strong arms."

Mod's jaw dropped. "He didn't fall? Inconceivable!"

Dick frowned, looking that the skinny English man. "Why do you keep using that word? I don't think it means what you think it means."

Mod waved his hand dismissively. "He's obviously seen us with the Princess. Consequently, he must die! Vic, carry the Princess. Mr Grayson, you catch up with us when he's dead. If he falls, fine. If not, kill him."

"I'll use the Soul Shredder," Dick replied confidently referring to the sword at his waist. "Or can challenge him to a dual on the Internet."

(**Me: What? I can't throw in a little Danny Phantom here and there?**)

"I don't care if you have to do the tango to kill him! Just do it!"

Vic lifted Aura over his shoulder before approaching his friend. "Be careful, dude. People who wear outfits like that by choice are usually crazy. You can't trust them."

"How do you know?" Aura asked completely offended by that remark even though her superhero outfit looked more like every day clothes. "Have you even met a superhero?"

The two men ignored her. Aura sighed. "And they ignore me."

"I'm waiting!" Mod called to Vic.

Dick watched as they left without him. He peered over the cliff and saw Herald struggling to climb to the top. Something seemed off about the costume clad man.

"Hello down there!" Dick called. Herald slipped a little and looks up. "How's it going?"

"Look, dude, I don't mean to be rude but this is harder than it looks and your talking is very distracting," Herald stated.

Dick waves. "My bad!" he apologized. "Carry on!"

"Thank you." He continued to climb. Dick then walked around, pulling out his holographic glove (**Me: So I like Young Justice. Big whoop.**) to check his e-mail. Nothing. He sighed, bored.

He then looked back down at Herald. "You think you can pick up the pace?"

"If you're in such a hurry, dude, how about you throw me a rope, tree branch, a long pipe or something useful for me?" Herald grunted.

Dick shrugged. "As a matter of fact, I have some rope with me. It's a shame though. Because if I help you, I'm going to have to kill you."

Herald frowned. "Well, that puts a damper on our relationship," he says sarcastically.

"I promise I won't kill you till you reach the top," Dick insisted.

Herald climbed another two inches. "That's comforting, man, but you're going to have to wait!"

"I hate waiting," Dick mumbled to himself. He looked back at Herald. "I'll give you my word as an Romanian!"

"No good," Herald grunted. "I've known too many Romanians."

He slipped a little but hung on tight.

"I swear on the graves of my father and mother, John and Mary Grayson, you will get to the top," Dick said solemnly.

Herald thought for a few moments. He then looked up at Dick. "Throw me the rope!"

Dick grabbed the leftover rope Mod cut and threw it over the edge. Herald grabbed hold of it. He tugged it twice, signalling Dick to pull him up. Dick was surprised by the costume clad man's weight. He's lighter than he looks. Herald thanked him.

He climbed over the top. Dick could now tell what was off about him: he's glowing! That was weird. Was he a superhuman? Strange.

Herald whipped out a horn from out of nowhere, ready to fight.

Dick held up his hand, calming the costume wearing stranger down. "Whoa, man! Wait till you're ready!"

Herald blinked and smiled a little. "Thanks again."

"No problem, man."

Herald pulled off his blue boots. He poured rocks and sand out of them. Dick was amazed on how much were in both boots. He squinted at Herald, trying to get a closer look at something.

Herald noticed. "What?"

"Uh, I don't mean to be nosy," Dick hesitated, "but are you a superhuman by any chance?"

Herald looked at him questioningly. "Is this how you start all of your conversations?"

"No," Dick said innocently. "I'm looking for a man who wears a half orange half black mask who killed my parents ten years ago. My dad and mom were sword smiths. They made some of the best swords ever. One day a man with a half orange half black mask came to them and requested him to make a special sword for him. Parents took the job."

Dick pulled out the Soul Shredder and showed it to Herald. He whistled. "I've never seen its equal."

Dick smiled and put his sword back. "Took my parents a year to make it. When the masked man returned, he demanded the sword but only one eighth of the price. My parents refused to give it to him. The man then took out some shrunkens (sp?) and threw them at my parents. It killed them instantly. I loved my parents so naturally I tried to challenge him to a dual. I lost big time. He spared me but he left me with these." Dick pushed up the sleeves of his shirt showing two long scars on each arm that went from his shoulders to his wrists. He then pushed the sleeves down again.

Herald looked at Dick sympathetically. "How old were you?"

"I was ten years old," Dick said sadly. Herald cringed. Dick then continued. "When I regained my strength, I dedicated my life to studying the sword…thanks to the Internet and video games. In my spare time I get the latest technology. I use it to find any hints on where the masked man might be. If I ever do find him I'm going to walk up to him and say, 'Hello. My name is Dick Grayson. You killed my dad. Prepare to die.'"

Herald blinked. Impressive. "So you're been studying the sword ever since?"

Dick released a sad sigh. "It's more like pursuing than studying these days. I usually drown my depression in video games and training. Occasionally it's whiskey, but not very often. I've been looking for this fruit loop for ten years and I haven't been any closer to avenging my dad than I was then. I'm starting to lose confidence. I just work for Mod to put food on the table, pay my bills, and buy the latest technology. Not much money in the revenge game."

Herald gave him a half-smile. "Well, I hope you find him."

"You ready to fight then?"

"How do you suggest we fight? As you can see, I'm clearly unarmed," said Herald hoping that Dick wouldn't realise that his trumpet was a weapon.

Dick thought for a moment. He then had an idea. He pulled out two laptops and turned them on. He gave one to Herald.

Herald was confused. "What are we going to do? Use these as blunt objects until our skulls crack open?"

"No," Dick replied. "On your screen, there's an icon labelled 'Doomed'. You ever played the game?"

Herald's face lit up. "You bet! I'm quite a formidable player."

Dick smirked. "Well, my costumed friend, you're about to meet your match. You seem like a nice guy. I hate to kill you afterwards."

"You seem like a nice guy too. I hate to die after this."

"You ready?"

"Yep. You've been more than fair."

Both men started their games. Their avatars began fighting each other, shooting the weapons they were both using.

"You weren't kidding. You're pretty good," Dick complimented. His avatar shot Herald's, causing minor damage to it.

"Thanks," Herald replied. "You're not so bad yourself. You've obviously gotten several cheat codes from the Internet."

"You've obviously gotten the same ones I have," Dick said.

"Great minds think alike." Herald's avatar turned intangible, dodging Dick's attack.

"I know. I've gone to several fencing competitions in the past, swapping cheat codes as I go. But I'll admit, you're better than me."

"Then why are you smiling?" asked Herald as his avatar shot a direct hit at Dick's.

"Because I know something that you don't," said Dick confidently.

"What's that?"

"I have a secret cheat code." With that, Dick entered a cheat code. His avatar became three times its size. Dick now had the upper hand. His avatar began stomping around, trying to squish Herald's avatar.

"You're amazing! I'll admit I've never gotten that code yet," Herald admitted.

"I ought to after ten years," said Dick.

"I think it's only fair to tell you something," said Herald.

"What's that?"

"I have a cheat code of my own!" Herald then entered a cheat code. His avatar then grew TEN times its size.

Dick's jaw dropped. "Who are you?"

Herald smirked. "No one of importance."

"I must know."

"Get used to disappointment."

Herald's giant avatar then squashed Dick's avatar, killing it. He lost. He slowly shut down his laptop. Since Herald won, Dick dies.

He fell to his knees. "Kill me quickly. Put me out of my misery."

"I would as soon destroy Nintendo as a gamer like yourself," said Herald casually. "Before I kill you, though, I might as well tell you a secret." He whispered something in Dick's ear. He silently gasped, eyes widening. He got out his cell phone to try and call Mod but Herald grabbed it out of his hand and crushed it.

"Now that you know my secret, I trust you'll keep it. Of course even if you did tell anyone, I doubt anyone will believe you. You'll probably want an explanation but since I can't have you following me right now…" Herald unleashes a small note from his trumpet to the back of Dick's head. It wasn't strong enough to kill him or even leave a scar. It just knocked him out cold.

Herald knelt down next to the unconscious Dick. "Please understand. I hold you in the highest respect."

Herald then stood up and looked up at the sky. He took a deep breath and played an incredibly loud note from his trumpet. It was loud enough for Mod, Vic and Aura, who were several miles ahead of him, to hear. Herald then stole a Gatorade from Dick's backpack, took a swig, and continued his chase.


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I own only Auertisse, Midnight and Jasiri.**

* * *

"Bloody Hell!" Mod exclaimed. "INCONCEIVABLE!" The three were at a thin mountain path when they heard a trumpet's song in the distance. Dick obviously lost to the costumed stranger. How he lost, no one knew.

The three remaining travellers saw that Herald was approaching them fast. Mod turned to Vic.

"Give her to me. Catch up with us as quick as you can," Mod ordered.

Vic was a little lost. "Uh…what am I supposed to do again?"

"Kill him your way."

Vic smiled. "Alright! My way!" He paused, confused again. "What's my way again?"

Mod face-palmed. "Grab a rock; hide behind a boulder, and in a few minutes, the Costumed Man will come running around the bend. The second his head is in view, HIT IT WITH THE ROCK!"

Vic frowned. "My way isn't very sportsmanlike."

Mod dragged Aura away, leaving Vic behind. Aura doubted that Vic could beat the Dread Pirate Herald. He's a superhuman after all! A large rock to the head wouldn't kill him, right?

Vic grabbed a large rock, hid behind a boulder, and waited for Herald to arrive.

Herald slowed down as he reached the bend in the trail. He stopped for a moment and hesitated. He slowly…started walking again…careful not to attract any attention that might be waiting for him. Sure enough, someone threw a large rock at him. It missed his head by inches. Herald yelped and whipped out his trumpet and took a deep breath, ready to fight.

Vic stepped into view, holding another large rock. He smiled. "I did that on purpose, you know. I don't _have_ to miss."

Herald narrows his masked eyes. "I believe you. What now?"

"We face each other like the Almighty intended," the African giant explained. "No weapons, no tricks. Skill against skill alone."

"You mean, you put down that rock and I don't use my horn and we kill each other like civilized people?"

Vic lifted the rock higher. "I could kill you now."

Herald quickly shook his head no and lowered his fists. He slowly approached Vic. "Looks like you have the upper hand at hand-to-hand combat."

"It's not my fault that I'm the biggest or the strongest," said Vic modestly. "I don't mean to brag but I don't even exercise." He casually tosses the rock away.

Herald looked up at Vic. He's never felt this puny before. Herald tried punching Vic in the stomach but to no avail. He didn't even flinch. He tried a series of blows with only his fists. Kind of hard to fight without using his trumpet. Vic just stood there, towering over the little Herald (well, little to Vic).

Herald looked up at Vic, frustrated, "Look, are you messing with me or what?" he panted.

Vic just shrugged. "I just wanted you feel like you're doing a good job," he said innocently. "I don't like it when people die an embarrassing death. Did anyone mention that you're cold to the touch?" Clearly, he hadn't caught on that Herald's a superhuman. Vic then charged at Herald, full speed. He grabbed Herald in his large fists. When he opened them, he found that there was no one in his hands. Vic stood up, confused. He heard a whistle. He turned around to find Herald leaning against a boulder.

"Wow! You're fast!" exclaimed Vic.

"Good thing, too," Herald replied.

Vic got ready to charge again. "Why do you wear that outfit? You do realise it makes you look ridiculous? Did your girlfriend pick it out?"

Herald frowned at the questions, especially that last one. "Eh, I just think it's cool. Maybe someday it will be the hottest trend. Then everyone will wear superhero costumes."

Vic took that moment to charge. Herald dodged and jumped on Vic's back. It felt more like they were participants in a rodeo.

"I think I just figured out why you're giving me so much trouble," Vic choked. Phantom was hanging on him by the neck.

"Oh really?" Herald said. "Why do you think that is?"

"I'm not used to fighting someone, one-on-one," Vic explained his voice starting to sound strained. "I'm used to fighting groups. You know, for charities and stuff like that." He was starting to slow down.

"How is this any different?"

"I can't use as many moves when I'm fighting one person."

Herald sighed. He held on till Vic passed out from lack of oxygen. Herald got up and checked Vic's pulse.

"I won't envy the headache you'll have when you wake up. In the meantime, rest well and dream of sexy dancers," he said to an unconscious Vic. He took out the same bottle of Gatorade he stole from Dick and took a sip. He then stood up, inhaled and released another victory trumpet song into the sky.

**Meanwhile…**

Prince Red X saw a rectangular imprint in the dust of the arcade ruins. There was a matching one right next to the first. A trail of what appeared to be a snake was next to both rectangles. Power cords. Count Slade was watching him try and figure out what happened moments ago. Red X then noticed two sets of footprints going in two different directions.

"It appears that an online dual took place here," Red X concluded. "These rectangular imprints in the dust are the same shape as a laptop. They must have been masters at whatever game they played."

"Do you know who won?" asked Slade.

Red X looked at the footprints. He pointed to one set going in one direction. "The loser ran off alone." He pointed to the second set. "The winner followed those other footprints toward Steel!"

"Should we go after both of them?" asked Slade.

Red X got up to his feet. "The loser means nothing to me. All that matters is the Princess!" He turned to Slade and his soldiers. "This is obviously a plan made by the warriors of Steel. We must be ready for whatever lies ahead."

Slade was a little sceptical. "Do you think we're walking into a trap?"

Red X looked at Slade. "I think everything is a trap…which is why I'm still alive." Red X, Slade, and the rest of their men followed the second set of footprints.

* * *

Herald finally reached the mountain peak. A picnic was laid out complete with a tablecloth, two goblets and a bottle of root beer in an ice bucket. Mod was sitting on a small rock with Aura sitting blindfolded next to him. Mod was holding a lavender water dipped dagger at Aura's throat. Despite the fact that she was blindfolded, Herald could tell she was afraid no matter how tough she acted.

Herald stopped in his tracks. The two men stared at each other.

"So it is down to you and it is down to me," Mod said icily.

Herald came closer but Mod stopped him. "If you want her dead, then keep coming closer." He pokes Aura's neck a little with the dagger. Aura was getting even more nervous. Mainly because lavender cancelled out her powers making her completely defenceless.

"Let me explain," Herald said calmly.

"There's nothing to explain," Mod said. "You're trying to kidnap what I have rightfully stolen."

Aura growled. "Stolen? YOU kidnapped me first!" Mod responded by shoving the dagger closer to her throat, shutting her up.

Herald smirked. "Maybe we can make a compromise?"

"There will be no compromise," Mod said, "and you're killing her." He shoved the dagger even closer to Aura's throat. She gasped.

Herald wasn't backing down that easily. "If we can't make a compromise, I guess we're at an impasse."

Mod looked at Herald smugly. "Afraid so. I can't beat you physically, but you're no match for my brains."

Herald snorted, trying not to laugh. "You think you're THAT smart?"

"Let me put it this way," said Mod. "Have you heard of Aristotle, Socrates, Plato?"

"In that order: Yes, yes, and yes."

"All idiots."

"Really?" said Herald. "Well, in that case I challenge you to a battle of wits."

Mod stared at Herald firmly. "For the princess?"

Herald nodded. Aura yelled out, "I'm not a princess…YET!"

Both men ignored her. "To the death?" asked Mod.

Herald nodded again.

"Very well, I accept."

"Good. Pour the root beer," said Herald. Mod did so. Herald pulled out a small packet from his jumpsuit. He handed it to Mod. "Smell it but don't touch it."

Mod took a whiff. "I don't smell anything."

Herald took the packet back. "That's because it's iocane powder. It has no smell, no taste and it dissolves instantly in liquid. It is more deadly than most poisons known to man."

Mod was impressed. Herald took both goblets and turned his back. A moment later he turned around, tossing the now empty iocane powder packet aside. He rotates the goblets a little and puts one in front of him and the other in front of Mod.

"Okay, then," said Herald. "Where is the poison? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you pick a goblet and we drink. Winner gets the princess and lives. Loser…well…you know what happens."

Mod scoffed at him. "But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you. Are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet, or his enemy's?"

Herald raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Continue."

"Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I'm not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool; you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of me."

"So, you've made your decision?"

"Not remotely," said Mod. "Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows. And Australia is entirely populated with criminals. And criminals are used to having people not trust them, as I don't trust you. So I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of you."

This impressed Herald. "Wow! You really have dizzying intelligence."

"Wait till I get going!" Mod exclaimed excitedly. "Now where was I?"

"Australia?"

"Yes! Australia! And you must have suspected I would have known where the powder came from, so I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of me."

"Now you're just stalling," said Herald trying not to look nervous.

"You'd think that wouldn't you?" asked Mod. "You've beaten my giant, which means you're exceptionally strong. So, you could have put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you. So I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of you. But, you've also bested my Romanian, which means you must have studied. And in studying, you must have learned that man is mortal so you would have put the poison, as far away from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the root beer in front of me."

Now Herald was struggling to stay awake. "You're trying to make me give something away. It won't work."

"It has worked," Mod said triumphantly. "You've given everything away! I know where the poison is!"

"Then make your choice," Mod dared.

"I will and I choose – what is that?"

Herald turned around not knowing that Mod switched the goblets while he wasn't looking. "I didn't see anything."

"Odd. I could have sworn I saw something," said Mod innocently. He started to snicker.

Herald noticed. "What's so funny?"

Mod waved his hand dismissively. "I'll tell you in a moment. Let's drink. You from your glass, me from mine."

They both downed their goblets, although Mod was a little hesitant at first.

Herald smirked at Mod triumphantly. "You guessed wrong."

Mod started laughing. "You think I guessed wrong, that's what's so funny! I switched goblets when your back was turned. You fell victim to one of the classic errors. The most famous one is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia.' But the only slightly less well known is this: 'Never mess with a Brit when DEATH is on the line!'"

He starts laughing uncontrollably. He suddenly stops and falls over, dead as a doornail. Herald stood up and walked over to Aura. He took off her blindfold and cut her bindings with his pocket knife.

He smiled at Aura. "Finally! I thought he'd _never_ shut up!"

Aura frowned at him. "Who are you?" She might as well play along with his game. If she tells him that she knows whom he is…who knows what will happen.

"No one you should mess with," Herald simply answered.

Aura looked down at the now dead Mod. "Unbelievable! The whole time it was your cup that was poisoned."

"Yup." Herald said smugly.

He grabbed Aura's wrist and dragged her down the path.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Red X was at the mountain bend studying what went on about an hour ago. Slade stood back and watched Red X work.

The prince stood up. "Someone has beaten the giant," he growled. "Someone is going to suffer in Steel if she dies."

* * *

**Back with our heroes…**

Herald continued dragging Aura down the path. Aura was ready to pass out from exhaustion and from all the lavender she was given. She wouldn't be able to use her powers for a week. The costumed man stopped and let Aura go. She collapses on a rock.

"Catch your breath," he said to her. He then floated a few feet in the air in a sitting position.

Aura glared daggers at him. "I knew you were a meta…since the cliffs."

Herald raised his eyebrows. "Impressive. At least _you_ were smart enough to see that. Although the Romanian, Dick, seemed to notice something was off about me. The friendly giant – Vic was it? – took note that my body temperature is cooler than most human beings. I would say that you three humans are probably the most observant ones I've ever encountered. That Mod guy was too smart for his own good. He overlooked the fact that I was trying to masquerade as a human. If I came after them by flying then Red X would have seen me from the horizon. I couldn't do that."

Aura didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted. "So what now? You've obviously gotten me, the damsel-in-distress. What are you going to do to me?" she asked trying not to sound afraid.

Herald tapped his chin, pretending to think about it. "How about I make you like me? I can turn you into a meta."

"Little too late for that." Aura said while staring at the moon and sun birth mark on her right hand.

Phantom chuckled. "True. You're funny, Auertisse!"

Aura scowled. It's no surprise that he knew her name. Everyone in Jump now knew who she was. "I was cutting you slack. No matter where you take me, here or any of the other dimensions, Prince Red X will find you whether you're invisible or not. He makes Starfire look like an amateur."

"You really think your dearest love will find you?"

Aura looked at Herald, insulted. "Did you hear me say that he was my dearest love? No! Gross! But he will save me that I know."

Herald looked at Aura in disbelief. "Are you saying that you don't love your fiancée?"

"He's perfectly aware that I don't love him."

"In other words, you're saying you're not capable of love," Herald concluded.

At this point, Aura's had enough of Herald. "I've loved more deeply than you can even imagine!" she exclaimed angrily.

Herald responded by cocking his fist. Aura stood firm not even flinching. Nothing came. "That was a warning, Auertisse," he said grimly. "Next time, I _will_ land a punch! In my dimension, there are severe consequences for lying to a meta."

He grabbed her wrist and the two started running further down the path.

* * *

Prince Red X and Slade inspected a picnic where a dead Mod was lying next to. Prince Red X found an empty pouch and took a whiff at it.

"Iocane," Red X concluded as he handed Slade the empty pouch to smell. "I bet my life on it." He pointed at two sets of footprints that went further down the trail. "And those must be the princess's footprints. She's still alive, or was an hour ago. If she's not alive, I will be cross."

Slade agreed with him, grinning evilly.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Aura and Herald were at the edge of a steep ravine. The two stopped again for a rest. Herald dropped Aura sharply and severely.

"Rest, Auertisse," he said coldly.

Aura glared at him with narrow eyes. "I'm through playing 'Scared-Little-Girl' with you. I know who you are. You're the Dread Pirate Herald."

Herald bowed to her. "With pride. How can I help you, Auertisse?"

"You can die by being ripped apart molecule by molecule by me when I get my powers back," Aura said icily.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Hardly civil, Auertisse. Why are you cross with me?" asked Herald innocently.

Aura narrowed her eyes. "You killed my love."

Herald shrugged innocently. "It's possible. I've killed a ton of people," he said matter-of-factly. "Who was this love of yours? Another rich prince like this one? Ugly, rich, and scruffy?"

"No," said Aura. "He was a farm boy. Poor and perfect, with eyes like the sweetest hot chocolate on the coldest day of winter." At this point, Aura was getting close to tears as she remembered those happy days with Mal. "On the high seas, three years ago, your ship attacked. Everyone knows the Dread Pirate Herald never takes prisoners."

He leaned back against a boulder. "Can't make exceptions," he said casually. "If word gets out that a meta pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey you and then it's nothing but work, work, work all the time."

Aura just about had it with Herald. "DON'T YOU EVER MOCK MY PAIN!"

"Life is pain, Auertisse," Herald retorted. "Anyone who says differently is selling knockoffs on the street corner." He started circling Aura. "I think I remember this farm boy of yours. How long ago did you say it was? Three years ago?"

Aura nodded.

"Do you mind if I tell you?" he asked.

"Whatever," she answered dryly. "Nothing can change the fact that he's gone."

"He died well, in case you were wondering. No bribes, no grovelling, no butt kissing. He just said, 'Please, please I need to live.' It was the 'please' part that I remember. I asked him what was so important. 'True love,' he answered. Then he spoke of a Keeper beauty, faithful to the end. I'm guessing he means you. You should be grateful I killed him before he found out what you really are."

That did it! No one mocked her heartache and got away with it. "And what am I?" she asked angrily as she stood up.

"Your enduring faithfulness," he answered. "Now tell me, after you found out I killed him did you get engaged to Red X that same day? Or did you wait for a few weeks out of respect of us dead?"

"You ridiculed me once, never do it again!" she exclaimed her eyes flooding with tears. "I died that day!"

Before Herald could reply with some kind of witty banter, he noticed that Prince Red X had finally caught up to them.

Catching him off guard, Aura growled, "And you can die too for all I care!" She pushed him down the steep hill.

Herald went tumbling down. "WHAT…EVER…YOU…SAAAAY!"

Aura immediately recognized those words. She realized who Herald really was. "He's really my Mal! What have I done?" She leaped after him, rolling and tumbling down the ravine like Herald.

By the time the two made it down to the bottom, both were battered and bruised. "Okay, not my best idea," Aura grunted. She turned her head to Herald whose mask had come off revealing his true identity. The Dread Pirate Herald was really Mal Duncan!

* * *

**Back with Red X…**

Prince Red X and his crew made it to where Herald and Aura were moments ago. They saw that the two fell into the ravine.

"He must have seen us coming," Red X concluded, "which would might explain his panicking. Unless I'm wrong – and I'm never wrong – they're most likely heading straight into the Ecto Swamp."

Slade paled at the mentioning of the name even though you couldn't see it because of the mask.

* * *

**Back with our heroes…**

Mal came to and crawled over to Aura. "Are you hurt? Can you move?"

"Who cares? You're alive," Aura whispered as tears of joy flowed down her face. "If you want I can fly!"

Mal smiled his familiar goofy grin. "I told you I'd be fine. Why didn't you wait for me?"

"You were dead," said Aura. She was lost for words, she was so happy.

"Death can't destroy true love," Mal said softly. "All it can do is delay it for a little while. Told you nothing can stop it."

Aura smiled. "I'll never doubt you again."

Mal smiled warmly and stroked her hair. "You'll never need to."

They both have their first kiss in three years.

* * *

_"Okay! Time out!" Raven shouted. Midnight looked up from the book._

_"What is it this time?" she asked. "I was just getting to the good part."_

_Raven rolled her eyes. "The kissing part. Please could you skip it?"_

_"Alright where to then?" Midnight asked tiredly._

_She could have sworn she was taking care of Beastboy not Raven._

_ "Skip to the Ecto Swamp please. That sounded cool!" Raven said._

* * *

Mal and Aura raced along the floor of the ravine. The two stopped and looked up at Prince Red X and his men.

"Ha! Your skunk fiancée is too late," said Mal. "Few more feet and we'll be safe and sound in the Ecto Swamp."

Aura paled. "Are you insane? We'll never survive the Ecto Swamp!"

"Don't be silly," Mal said casually. "You're only saying that because no one ever has."

The lovebirds eventually enter the swamp. The swamp was filled with dead trees, green mist, and other swampy stuff that one would find in the movie "Creature from the Black Lagoon".

Mal surveyed their surroundings. "Not bad."

Aura looked at him in disbelief. Mal looked back. "What? I'm not saying we should build a summer home here but the trees are kind of cool."

The two of them begin walking deeper into the swamp. They heard a strange popping noise. A spurt of green fire erupted from the ground, lighting part of Aura's pants on fire. Aura tried to remain calm but if _your_ pants caught on fire, the calmness doesn't last long. Mal forced Aura to sit down. He raised his hand to her pants and it glowed blue. Soon the heat Aura felt was replaced by cold.

Aura was thankful even though she lost half of her pant leg. Mal laughed nervously. "Well, that was an adventure." He helped Aura to her feet and the two began walking again. They heard a familiar popping noise. Mal grabbed Aura's hand and the two dodged the green flame that erupted from where Aura was just standing.

The fire disappeared. Mal helped Aura to her feet.

"Thanks." Aura said nervously. What happened to her love these past three years? He seemed more…confident.

"You gotta admit, though," Mal said, "the Ecto Swamp really knows how to keep you on your toes."

For a while, the two continued walking through the Ecto Swamp. Aura listened to Mal's three-year odyssey. "Soon this will be nothing but a happy memory. The _Gabriel_ is anchored on the other side of this swamp. As you've already guessed, I'm Herald."

Aura was confused. "Okay. Back up for a moment. One: how did you get that horn? And two: how can you be the Dread Pirate Herald? You've been gone for three years. Herald has been terrorizing the seas for fifteen. And three: how did you get your powers?"

Mal grinned. "I was wondering the same thing. I got my horn from the previous Dread Pirate Herald. And I got my powers from my mom."

Aura nodded. It seemed to make sense. Since the Dread Pirate Herald was renowned for his horn and Mal's mom was one of her old teachers. "But how could you be the Dread Pirate Herald. He's been haunting the seas for fifteen years. How did you become Herald?"

Another popping sound announced another burst of green flames. Mal quickly grabbed Aura and pulled her out of the way until the flames subsided. They then continued walking.

"What I told you about saying 'please' is true," Mal answered. "Herald was interested, as well as my description of your beauty." Aura blushed. "Then I got my powers. Herald then decided something. 'All right, Trumpet Boy, I've been looking for a valet. You can try it tonight. I'll most likely have your pelt on my wall in the morning.'"

"Eww," said Aura cringing at the thought.

Mal continued. "Two years he said that to me. 'Good night, Trumpet Boy. Nice work. Sleep well. I'll most likely have your pelt on my wall in the morning.' It was actually pretty cool. I learned how to use my powers from my invisibility to that little ice trick I did on your dress moments ago."

Mal's hand glowed blue. An ice crystal appeared in his hand. He gave it to Aura. "Cool…no pun intended," she said. Mal chuckled.

"Eventually, Herald and I became friends. And then it happened."

"What?" asked Aura pocketing her gift. "What happened?"

"Herald got so rich, he decided to retire," Mal explained. "So one day, he called me to his cabin and told me a secret. 'I am not the Dread Pirate Herald. My name is Roy Harper (Speedy). I inherited the _Gabriel_ from the previous Dread Pirate Herald just as you are to inherit it from me. The previous Herald was not the real guy either. His name was Isaiah Crockett (Hot Spot). The real Herald has been retired for twelve years and is living like a king in Hawaii."

"You're kidding!" Aura explained.

"I was surprised too. They're powerful metas, they can't age. Then Roy explained to me the significance to the name thing. It's supposed to strike fear into the hearts of the bravest of souls. Think about it. No one would surrender to the 'Dread Pirate Mal.'"

Aura agreed. "That doesn't sound intimidating at all."

"So we went to shore and got a new crew. Roy stayed and was first mate, all the time calling me Herald. He kept that up until everyone called me that and then retired. That pretty much sums it up. Now that we're together, I'll retire and find someone else to replace me. You understand all of that?"

Aura looked at Mal bewildered. Getting captured by pirates, getting super powers like her, and keeping up an evil pirate's reputation. He changed a lot during those three years he was gone. He still looked a little scrawny but there was also a hint of muscle in his arms. Sure, he had muscle when he was a farm boy but now it seems more noticeable.

Aura walked ahead of Mal, trying to come to terms with the story he just told her. Without warning, the ground suddenly swallowed her whole.


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I own only Auertisse, Midnight and Jasiri.**

* * *

The moment the pescitarian Keeper disappeared into the ground, Mal dived into the ground after her.

The swamp was silent for several moments before Herald emerged from the ground holding Aura gasping for air. He landed on solid ground and placed Aura on a stump to sit on. She coughed and gasped for air. Sand covered her from head to toe.

"We'll never make it," Aura gasped. "Might as well die here."

Herald turned Aura intangible making the sand on her fall off of her.

"No," Herald said comfortingly making them both tangible. He stroked her back. "We're almost out of here." He gave her the rest of the energy drink. She slowly drained the bottle. She stood up and the two continued walking.

"We'll be fine," reassured Herald. "I mean, name the horrors of the Ecto Swamp."

"Well, there is the green fire spurts," Aura started.

"There's a popping noise before the flames come out of the ground. We can easily avoid those," Herald answered.

"The Houdini Quicksand?"

"Well, thanks to you we now know what it looks like. We can avoid that too."

"What about the EOUS's?"

"Ecto-pusses Of Unusual Size? I don't believe they exist." The second Herald said that, an ecto-pus grabbed Herald's ankle and pulled him towards it. Herald retaliated by shooting an ice ray at it, setting him free. The eight-armed fiend tried again. The tentacle grazed Herald's side. He shot another ice ray at it. Another tentacle knocked him out of sight. The creature then laid its eyes on Aura. It picked her up and began constricting her.

"MAL!"

Herald then flies back into view and blasts the ecto-pus again. It flinched and dropped Aura. Herald caught her before she hit the ground. He placed her in a tree, out of danger, while he finished the fight. He flew back to the monster, ready to fight again. Several tentacles shot out at him. He dodged every one of them. The monster didn't give up. It kept trying to grab Herald but he dodged them by flying in all directions. Several minutes later the ecto-puss's tentacles were a tangled mess, completely immobilized. Herald then sent another ice beam at the ecto-puss, finally freezing the creature.

He then flew up to Aura and scooped her up bridal style. He then floated down to the ground and gently put her back on her feet. Aura thanked him with a kiss that Herald gratefully returned.

The two then finally made it out. Aura could easily see the ocean through the thin trees.

"We made it," Aura grinned.

"See? Told you we'd be fine," said Herald confidently.

The two were about to kiss again. When Prince Red X and his men approached the two. Red X was anything but happy.

"Surrender!" ordered Red X.

"If by 'surrender' you mean you want to surrender to me? Then I accept," Herald said smugly with his mask on again.

"I give you points for your courage," Red X stated. "Don't make an imbecile out of yourself."

Herald chuckled. "You won't catch us. We know the secrets to the Ecto Swamp. We can live a very happy life there. Of course if you feel like dying, you're welcome to come visit us."

Red X was losing his patience. "I'm telling you again. Surrender!"

"Forget it," growled Herald charging up his fists, ready to fight. While the two metas were swapping insults at each other, Aura noticed that several metas in SWAT uniforms aiming their weapons at Herald.

"I'm telling you one last time! SURRENDER!" roared Red X.

"OBLIVION FIRST!" Herald roared back.

"Promise me you won't hurt him!" yelled Aura.

Both metas looked at the Keeper, confused. "WHAT?" they yelled in unison.

Aura slowly walked toward Red X. "If we surrender and I go back to Jump with you, will you promise not to hurt him?"

Red X smiled grimly. "May I live for a hundred years and never hunt again."

Aura gestured toward Herald. "He's a sailor on the pirate ship _Gabriel_. Promise me you'll take him back to his ship."

"It will be done, my dear," Red X promised. Aura cringed inwardly at the way she was just addressed.

Red X leaned toward Slade. "Once we're out of sight, take him back to Jump and throw him in the Pit of Doom," he whispered.

Slade grinned evilly even though no one could see it. "I'll make sure of it."

Aura looked at Herald with her eyes slowly flooding with tears. Herald had a look on his face that spoke of pain, betrayal, and heartache. "I lost you once and it practically destroyed me," Aura sobbed. "I can't stand the thought of losing you again."

Red X then scooped her up and flew away toward Jump. Herald stared at them in a daze. Slade approached him, snapping him out of it.

"Come now," Slade said. "We must return you to your ship."

Herald scoffed. "Lying through your teeth won't get you anywhere. Unlike you, I'm a meta of my word." He then stared at Slade, squinting. Something was familiar about him…

"What?"

Herald snapped his fingers. "Now I remember! You look like the masked man!" he exclaimed. "Someone I know is looking for you."

Slade then shot a ray at Herald, knocking him out.

* * *

Mal slowly woke up, no longer Herald without his mask. He was strapped to an examination table in some sort of dungeon. He had a major headache. A girl named Jinx walked into the dungeon. She had grey skin, pink hair and pink cat eyes. She was wearing a witch's costume.

The girl approached Mal, carrying a try of medical tools. "Where am I?" Mal asked.

"The Pit of Doom," said Jinx as she started cleaning some of Mal's wounds. "Don't even try to faze out of this place. The walls are completely power-proof. No one's gonna rescue you. The only way out is secret. Only me, Prince Red X, and Count Slade know the way out."

"So I'm stuck here till I die?" asked Mal.

"Yeah, till they kill you," said Jinx.

Mal was confused. "Then why are you healing me? I'm gonna die anyway."

"Red X and Slade insist that their victims should be healthy before they die."

Mal paled. "So I'm going to be tortured?" Jinx nodded. "I think I can handle…t-t-t-torture," Mal stuttered trying to sound brave. All those years living without Aura was torture enough!

"No, you won't!" Jinx exclaimed cheerfully.

"Why's that?" Mal was afraid of what the answer would be.

"Since you survived the Ecto Swamp then that means you're strong," explained Jinx, "but no one will survive the machine."

Mal didn't like the thought of that. He looked at Jinx again who asked, "If you live through this, will you be my friend?"

* * *

Since Red X and Aura returned to the palace, she has been in a daze. All day she would wander the castle, her eyes void of any life. If she were a ghost she would have fit right in.

Red X and Slade observed her as she passed them for the fifth time that day. Slade looked at Red X. "What's the matter with her? She looks like she's in shock after witnessing a murder."

"I'm just as confused as you are," Red X replied. "She's been like that ever since the Ecto Swamp."

* * *

Aura tried to run towards the prison courtyard. Everyone in Jump was gathered there to witness the ultimate punishment for any meta: Oblivion! Only the most dangerous of metas are sent there as punishment. Once you go in there, you can never come back.

Aura pushed her way through the crowd. An executioner was floating behind a shackled Herald. Aura tried to call out to him.

"MAL!"

Herald turned around to see Aura but the executioner pushed him into the portal leading to Oblivion. "NNNOOOOOOOOOO!"

Aura woke up in cold sweat. Her nightmares were getting worse. The guilt was killing her. She had to break the engagement off and return to Mal. She went to Prince Red X's study to break the news to him. Her parents were going to be anything but happy about this.

"I love Mal Duncan!" Aura exclaimed. "Always have, always will! I would rather die than marry you!"

Red X looked shocked and looked to Count Slade. They then looked at Aura.

"Very well, my dear Auertisse," said Red X standing up from his desk. "Consider our wedding off." He then turns to Slade. "Did you return this Mal to his ship?"

"Yes, Your Highness," answered Slade.

"Then we will alert him," Red X stated. He turned back to Aura. "Auertisse, are you sure about this? Remember it was _you_ who left him in the Ecto Swamp. I should also remind you that pirates are not metas of their word."

"Mal will always come for me!" Aura snapped. She knew Mal would understand why she did what she did for him.

Red had an idea. "How about this? You write four letters, one for each direction, and I will send my fastest ships. The Dread Pirate Herald usually visits Jump during this time of year. We'll deliver the letter to him. If Mal accepts, good for you both. If not, please consider me as a substitute for suicide. Deal?"

Aura nodded and left to write her letter. Aura really wished that Red X would get computers and Internet installed in his castle. She's not used to waiting several days for her grandfather to reply to her via snail mail.

* * *

Red X and Slade walked through a forest, chatting about Aura's sudden announcement.

"She's feisty for her age, don't you think?" asked Slade.

Red X frowned. "I'm aware of that. The people have taken a liking to her. It's strange though. When I hired Mad Mod to abduct and murder her on the night of the engagement party, I thought the plan was flawless."

"But?" Slade sensed a catch.

"It's going to be even more tragic when I strangle her on our wedding night. Once Steel is blamed, the people of Jump will want to go to war," Red X said an evil grin slowly appearing on his face.

The two metas eventually reached a giant dead tree with several knots at its base. Slade then started examining every knot as if he's looking for something.

"Now which knot was it again?" he asked himself. "I know it's here somewhere…AH! There it is!" He pushed on a knot, which sank further into the tree. A secret door was revealed.

Slade opened the door and turned to Red X. "Care to join me in the Pit? Malcolm's got his strength back and I'm thinking of using the machine on him tonight."

Red X patted the masked man's shoulder. "Slade, my friend, as much as I'd enjoy watching someone else in pain I must decline. I have a wedding to arrange, a wife to murder, and Steel to frame for it. My hands are full."

Slade grinned. "Very well, Your Highness but you don't know what you're missing! Get some rest. If you don't have your health, then you have nothing."

He disappeared into the tree ready to test his new invention. Red X slowly walked back to the castle, relishing in the fact that no one will stop his plans.

Slade glided into the Pit of Doom. Mal was strapped to an examination table with a large machine hovering over him. Jinx was lowering one end of the machine towards Mal's chest. It looked like a cattle prod.

Slade grinned evilly. "It's lovely isn't it? Took me ten years to invent it. I'm sure by now you're aware that I have an extraordinary interest in the science of pain. Currently, I'm keeping a journal with the results of the subject. Now, I want you to be completely honest and tell me how the machine makes you feel."

Mal scowled at the masked man. Jinx looked up at Slade. "If he survives, can he be my friend?"

"Be quiet!" barked Slade. "Otherwise you'll be my next test subject."

"Hey, Jinx," Mal said, "how about we switch places? You be the test subject and I'll be the Igor for a little while!"

"I said, 'be quiet!'" shouted Slade. He went to the control panel. "This will be our first try, so I'll be starting at the lowest level."

He turned the dial to one, the lowest setting. The machine came to life. The cattle prod then stabbed Mal's chest, electrocuting him. Mal howled in pain. For several minutes it was like this. Slade then turned the machine off. The machine then died down. By this time, Mal was gasping from screaming so much.

Slade then pulled out a journal and opened it. "Now, the machine is designed to cancel out your powers for at least twelve hours. I started at one so that means you're powerless for one hour. Now, be honest for me. How do you feel after this experiment?"

Mal's only response was a whimper that sounded like an injured puppy.

Slade raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting response."

* * *

Red X sat at his desk, swamped. Papers were scattered all over his desk. A young man, about Mal's age, entered and knelt before Red X.

Red X looked up. "Mammoth."

"Your Highness," Mammoth answered.

"Rise," Red X ordered.

Mammoth did so. Red X rose from his desk and approached Mammoth. "As Chief Enforcer of Amity, I trust you with this secret: killers from Steel have infiltrated Bandit Woods. They plan to murder my bride on the night of our wedding."

The red headed oaf scratched his head. "That's weird. My spy network hasn't told me anything like that lately. Are you sure about this?"

Before Red X could answer, Aura entered Red X's study. "Anything from Mal yet?" she asked.

Red X approached her. "Soon, my dearest. Patience is a virtue."

Aura frowned at him. She could tell something was up. "Mal will come for me. You just wait."

"Of course."

Aura left the study to continue writing to her grandfather, her only comfort while she waited patiently for Mal to rescue her.

Once Aura was out of sight, Red X turned to Mammoth. "No one will murder her. On the day of the wedding, I want Bandit Woods cleared out and every resident arrested."

Although Mammoth was a total moron, he knew Bandit Woods inside and out. "Uh, you know many of the thieves and bandits will resist arrest. My regular enforcers won't be able to handle it all."

"Then form a Brute Crew. I want those woods cleared by the wedding," Red X ordered.

"It won't be easy," Mammoth said tentatively.

Red X sighed, frustrated. "Then you try ruling the world someday."

* * *

**Bandit Woods**

Mammoth's Brute Crew invaded the Bandit Woods the next day, the day of the wedding. A Cyclops named See-More approached Mammoth.

"Is everyone out?" asked Mammoth.

"Almost," See-More answered, "but we're having some trouble with a Romanian boy."

"Then give him some trouble," Mammoth ordered.

* * *

Dick was a wreck. He had spent the past twenty-four hours on the Internet researching nonstop on his laptop. His eyes were bloodshot; he hadn't shaved or eaten. He would have drowned his depression in whiskey but after experiencing his first hangover, he hadn't gone near the stuff. Instead, he's been browsing the Internet looking for information about the secret Herald told him.

Dick should have known that Herald was a meta masquerading as a human. All Herald had to do was not float and he could easily pass as a human, unless someone noticed he was glowing a little. Herald's little secret: he's really a secret hero who is looking for his true love, who happens to be Red X's fiancée. Hopefully the prince doesn't know about that.

A secret hero: that is the rarest breed of hero; one that does heroic things in the background without anyone finding out. Now that Dick thought about it, no one had looked into his parents murder. That must mean: the masked man was secret villain! If that's the case, then he's vulnerable to having his secret exposed. Too bad Dick was too depressed to tell anyone right now. He was also getting impatient.

"Alright, Mod, I'm waiting for you! You told me to go back to the beginning if I ever screw up. I've done that. Now where are you?" Dick muttered to himself.

See-More then appeared in front of Dick. "Move it, punk."

"I'm not moving from this spot!" Dick cried. He pulled out his Soul Shredder and waved it around wildly.

"Red X's orders…"

"I don't give a ghost's butt about Red X!" Dick yelled back. "I'm supposed to wait for Mad Mod. I'm not moving!"

See-More had enough of this young man. He called to one of the members of the Brute Crew. "You! Brute! Get over here!"

Dick wasn't paying attention. "I. AM. WAITING. FOR. MOD!"

"I hope you soon find the right answer," answered a voice that clearly didn't belong to See-More.

Dick looked up to see who was talking to him. It was Vic.

"Hello, Dick."

"Vic! It's you!"

"True." See-More tried to sneak up on Dick to knock him out but Vic was quicker. Vic knocked See-More out with a simple punch and then sucked him into a thermos.

Dick was surprised. "How did you...?"

"Meta Gloves," Vic explained. "I can fight metas in hand-to-hand combat. And this is the Duncan Thermos. It captures metas. All of this was given to me courtesy of Duncan Works."

The name rang a bell but Dick decided to put in the back of his mind for later. Vic looked Dick over.

"You don't look so good," Vic said worriedly. Dick burped in his face. "You don't smell good either."

"I guess, man. I feel fine," Dick said. He started to walk but fell to the ground. The sound of snoring indicated Dick fell asleep. That's what happens when one researches metas and heroes for twenty-four hours nonstop.

Now that they were reunited, Vic helped Dick regain his strength. He filled Dick in about Mod's death, Red X's plan, and the masked man, Slade Wilson.

"Okay, so where is Slade so I can send him away with my Soul Shredder?" asked Dick now fully recovered in a matter of hours.

"He's with Red X at the castle. It's guarded by at least thirty metas," Vic answered.

"Approximately, how much can you take?" asked Dick.

"I'm guessing about ten," Vic guessed.

Dick pulled out his holographic glove and did some math. "That leaves twenty for me. There's no way I can handle that many." He sits down, defeated. "If only Mod was here. He's the one with the brains."

"But I told you. Mod's dead."

Dick stroked his chin, deep in thought. He then snapped his fingers. "Not Mod! We need Herald!"

"Huh?"

"Think about it, dude. He was able to beat you in strength, your best feature! He bested me at Doomed! My favourite game! He must have outsmarted Mod. If there's anyone who is able to figure out how to infiltrate Red X's castle it's Herald. Let's go!"

Vic became confused. "Go? Go where?"

"To find Herald! Duh!" Dick snapped.

"But you don't know where he is," Vic argued.

"Don't bug me with your nonsense," Dick argued back. "After ten long years, I'll finally avenge my father's death! There will be blood tonight!"

* * *

Mammoth entered Red X's chambers to find him polishing his amulet. He kneels. Red X looks up.

"Rise and report," Red X commanded.

"Bandit Woods has been cleared out. We have thirty metas guarding the castle," Mammoth reported.

"Double it," Red X replied. "The princess must be kept safe."

"Got it. Don't worry. I have the only key to the castle gate," Mammoth said. He pulled out a key that was on a chain around his neck. Aura then entered Red X's chambers.

"Anything from Mal yet?" she asked.

"Ah! My dearest," Red X greeted. "Tonight is our wedding. Tomorrow, we shall be escorted to the Jump Channel where every ship in my navy will accompany us on our honeymoon!"

"Except those four ships you sent," Aura said dryly.

"Uh…yes! Yes, except for those four," Red X answered hesitantly. Aura scowled at him.

Mammoth, seeing that it was about to get ugly, slipped out of Red X's chambers. "Your Highnesses."

As soon as Mammoth was gone, Aura dropped her goody-two-shoes act and confronted the prince. "You never sent any ships, did you?" she asked accusingly. "Don't even bother lying to me. It wouldn't matter anyway. Mal will get me out of this rat hole."

Red X scoffed. "You're such a silly girl."

"Am I?" Aura asked. "Maybe I am for not seeing what you really are. A cowardly wimp with a stone cold heart!"

Red X leaned in close to Aura's face. "I would not say such things if I were you," he threatened.

"Why not?" Aura retorted. "You'll never hurt me. True love binds Mal and me together! You'll never break it! Not with a million swords! And by 'cowardly wimp' I mean you're the most pathetic meta to ever wander the earth!"

Red X went over the edge. He grabbed Aura's still blistered wrist, hard, and dragged her out of his chambers and locked her in her chambers.

"YOU'LL REGRET THOSE WORDS MADAM!" he yelled trying to keep what's left of his temper under control. He then left the castle and stomps off toward the Pit of Doom to dispose of his competition.

Red X stormed into the Pit of Doom. Slade was writing in his journal while Jinx played solitaire with some cards and Mal was whistling jazz songs. Red X marched over to Mal who ceased his whistling.

"You two truly love each other and so you might have been truly happy," Red X hissed.

Mal scoffed. "_Might?_ I think you mean we _will_ be truly happy."

Red X sneered at him. "What you have occurs once in a century." Mal gave him a smug look. "So I think no man in a century will suffer as greatly as you will."

Prince Red X then went to the controls of the machine, pushed Slade out of the way and turned the machine on. He then turned the setting to twelve, the highest setting.

Slade panicked. "NO! Not to twelve!"

The machine roared to life. The machine shocked Mal like never before. This kind of pain was worse than any torture imaginable. Mal screamed in pain. His screams were so loud, everyone in Jump could hear them. Aura's family heard it, Mal's family heard it, Mammoth's Brute Crew heard it and even Aura herself heard it. She did not recognize it but it still sent shivers down her spine.

Luckily Vic and Dick (**Me: Hey that rhymes!**) heard it too. They were trying to get through the crowded marketplace when they heard it. Everyone was silent as they listened to the mystery screams of agony.

Dick, however, recognized those screams. "Vic! Listen!"

Vic listened. "You mean that screaming?"

Dick gave him a deadpanned look. "What else? That sounds like Herald."

"Why do you think he's screaming?"

"Herald's true love is marrying some other dude tonight. Why else is he screaming like that? I made that same scream myself when Slade murdered my parents ten years ago. The Scream of Ultimate Suffering," Dick explained.

They then tried to follow the source of the screams that now faded away to silence again. Unfortunately the marketplace was far too crowded.

"Excuse me! 'Scuse me! Excus – Hey! Out of the way! Vic? A little help, please?"

"YO OUTTA THE WAY!" Vic shouted. The crowd immediately parted.

"Thanks," thanked Dick.

* * *

Eventually, two hours later, the two misfits made their way to the woods where the trail went cold at a dead tree with several knots at the base.

"Dead end," Dick muttered.

"Now what?" Vic asked. They heard someone coming in their direction and they both hide. Jinx then appeared. She was pushing a wheelbarrow, whistling a tune, happy as a clam.

Dick appeared and stopped Jinx in her tracks, the Soul Shredder poking her nose. Vic then appeared with the Duncan Thermos pinned to Jinx's back.

"Do either of you want to be my friend?" she asked.

"It depends," Dick replied. "Where's Herald?"

"Uh…I don't know what you're talking about," Jinx answered nervously.

"You got there from these woods, right?" asked Vic.

"Uhh…umm…"

Dick rolled his sunglass covered eyes. "Vic, how about you jog her memory?"

Vic then hit Jinx on the head (thanks to the Meta Gloved). Unfortunately, Vic hit her a little too hard. Jinx fell to the ground, unconscious.

Vic looked at what he just did. "Uh, Dick? I think I jogged her a little too hard. Sorry."

Dick face-palmed. "Never mind," he sighed. "Suck her up." Vic sucked the unconscious Jinx into the Duncan Thermos.

"So now what?" Vic asked. "Where do you think Herald is?"

Dick pulled out his Soul Shredder. "Okay, Mom and Dad," Dick whispered to himself. "After ten years, you're finally going to rest in peace. But in order to do that I need to find someone who can help me. Guide my sword."

Dick then started walking toward the tree. Vic slowly followed nervously. The tip of Dick's sword pokes on one of the knots. Dick, thinking he failed, put his sword away and walked away to sulk. Vic, curious about the knot the Soul Shredder poked, examined it. He pushed the knot deeper into the tree. A secret door appeared.

"Dick! I found a way in!" Vic called.

Dick looked up and saw the now visible door. "Nice job, Vic!" The two gave each other a high-five and entered the tree.

The room they were in now looked like a torture chamber. They saw Mal lying on the examination table, seemingly dead. Vic approached the unconscious meta and checked on his pulse. Dick found an open journal at the control panel to the machine and began reading it.

"He's still alive, Dick!" Vic called.

Dick nodded. "That may be true, dude, but in the state he's in now, he's powerless to fight. According to these notes, Herald's gonna be like this for the next ten hours."

"But we don't have enough time to wait for his powers to come back!" Vic exclaimed. "This is his only chance to rescue Princess Auertisse and your only chance to fight Slade Wilson!"

* * *

_"Midnight, hold on!" Raven interrupted._

_Midnight looked up. "What's wrong? Is your fever going up again?"_

_"No. Herald is going to get his powers back in time to rescue Aura right? I mean, how is Herald going to get his powers and trumpet back in time to stop the wedding? He can't wait ten hours."_

_"Do you want me to finish the story or not?" Midnight asked exasperatedly._

_"Yeah," Raven answered, "but how are they going to rescue Aura? By the time Herald gets his powers back, it will be too late!"_

_Midnight winks at her charge. "What they need is more __**time**__."_

_Raven, curious about Midnight's hint, calmed down and listened to Midnight read again._

* * *

Dick then snapped his fingers. He smirked at Vic. "We Graysons don't give up that easily. Get Herald off that examination table. I have an idea. How much money do you have?"

Vic pulled out his wallet and counted his money. "Fifty bucks."

"Good enough," Dick mumbled. Vic removed the straps from Mal's limbs.

Vic tilted his head as he looked at Mal. "Are you sure this is Herald? This guy doesn't have a mask. Herald has a mask."

Knowing that time is of the essence, Dick just simply stated. "Long story short: that's Herald without a mask. Now come on! We need to get to Timeline Tower."

"Why did you ask me to count my money anyway?" asked Vic as he threw an unconscious Mal over his shoulder. "And why do we need to go to Timeline Tower? I thought we were going to rescue the princess and avenge your parents."

"Because, my simpleminded friend, Timeline Tower is the only place in Jump where one can buy more time."

* * *

Dick and Vic eventually made it to Timeline Tower on the outskirts of town. Dick pounded on the door. "Go away!" cried a voice from behind the door.

Dick kept pounding on the door. Eventually, an African woman opened the window on the door. "What do you want?"

Both Vic and Dick furrowed their eyebrows. "You're not Clockwork," Vic stated though he had hearts in his eyes.

"Yeah man," Dick agreed. "Clockwork's a dude. He used to work for the prince several years ago."

"You mean my short-tempered brother who fired Lord Clockwork and banished me from the castle? Thank you for reminding me of such painful memories!" she exclaimed bitterly. "We're closed!"

She slammed the window in their faces.

"KAREN (Bumble Bee)!" a more superior voice called out. "Show some manners!"

Dick, curious, knocked on the door again. The window opened again only this time a blue ghost with a scar on his left eye answered. "Leave now or I will call the Brute Crew."

"I am the Brute Crew," Vic answered.

Clockwork looked Vic over. "Indeed you are the Brute Crew."

Dick decided to cut to the chase. "We need your help."

Clockwork sighed as he changed into an old man. "I'm retired. What would you want with someone the prince fired?"

Dick jabbed his thumb in Mal's direction. "This guy is the one who needs help."

Clockwork thought about it. "Very well. I'll take a look. Bring him in."

The two misfits entered the tower, following the meta and the ghost to the top floor. Vic placed Mal on a table. Clockwork, now a child, looked him over. He poked Mal with his Time Staff. "I've seen worse," he muttered.

He continued poking Mal for several minutes. Dick tapped on Clockwork's shoulder. "Uh, I don't mean to rush you, but we're kind of in a rush."

The Ghost of Time turned to Dick. "If you rush me on this miracle, you're going to get a lousy miracle."

"We have money," Vic stated.

"How much?" asked Karen.

"Fifty dollars."

Clockwork frowned, changing into an adult. "I've never worked for so little."

"Yes, you have," Karen argued.

"That was once, Bee," Clockwork responded, "but it was for a noble cause."

Dick threw arms over his head. "This is a noble cause!" he exclaimed. He pointed to Mal. "His…uh…sister is blind and his…um…nieces and nephews are on the brink of starvation."

Clockwork frowned. "If you're going to lie to me, you're going to have to do better than that."

Dick sighed in frustration. "All right. I need him to help me avenge my parent who have been dead for the past ten years."

Clockwork gave Dick a deadpanned look. "You're first story was better."

"Does he owe you money?" asked Bee. "Let's ask him."

"How?" asked Vic. "He's unconscious."

"He looks completely dead to me."

Clockwork, now an old man, glared daggers at Karen. "On the contrary, Karen, their friend here is a meta."

He continued poking Mal with his staff. Seeing that the boy was not responding, Clockwork simply whacked him on the head. Mal moaned as a response.

"He's still alive," Clockwork stated. "He's quite the fighter."

"What's he fighting for anyway?" asked Karen.

Clockwork smiled, turning into a child. "True love."

Dick gave Karen a victory smirk. "Can't get more noble than that."

"Well, I still don't understand why we should help him," she responded sceptically.

"Because Malcolm here is Auertisse's true love," Clockwork answered.

Vic raised his eyebrows, surprised. "How do you know that?"

Clockwork turned to Vic and smiled. "I know everything."

Dick stepped in. "Look, you need to help him so we can stop Prince Red X's wedding."

Both Clockwork and Karen looked up at Tucker. Karen was the first to speak. "If we help him, my brother suffers?"

"Embarrassments galore, Princess!" Dick exclaimed.

Clockwork, who transformed into an adult, smirked. "Now THAT is a noble cause."

Clockwork finished reading through Slade's notes Tucker took from the Pit of Doom. He then knew how to cure Mal.

"Give me the fifty dollars. I know how to fix this."

Vic got excited. "Really? How are you going to cure him?"

Clockwork glared at the friendly giant. "I'm the Ghost of Time, not the Ghost of Miracle Cures. According to these notes, that machine cancelled out his powers for an extensive amount of time. Malcolm's powers have been cancelled for twelve hours. He'll get his powers back in the next nine hours."

Dick was getting impatient. "Then how are you going to fix him?"

Clockwork, now an old man again, smiled. "I simply fast-forward the so-called 'treatment.'"

"How?" Dick and Vic asked in unison.

"Fast Forward." Clockwork pressed a button on his Time Staff.

Mal's body started glowing; the sound of a ticking clock could be heard echoing in the room. Clockwork kept his eyes on the watches on his arm. Eventually he pushed another button on his Time Staff. "Time in."

The ticking clock sounds died off and Mal's body stopped glowing. Dick and Vic looked at the unconscious Mal and then at Clockwork, who turned into a child.

"What did you do?" Dick asked.

"I sped up the nine hours of what's left of Malcolm's 'treatment' to thirty minutes. He'll wake up soon."

"Sweet! Now we can crash Red X's wedding and I can avenge my parents!" Dick exclaimed excitedly.

"Take Karen with you," Clockwork stated.

Karen, Dick and Vic looked at the Ghost of Time, dumbfounded. "WHAT?"

Clockwork, now an adult, smiled. "Someone has to rule Jump once you shove Red X off of his throne."

* * *

Dick, Vic, and Karen made their way to the top of the outer wall of the castle, with Mal in tow. They looked down at the castle gate. SIXTY metas in SWAT uniforms were guarding the entrance. Vic, visibly horrified at how many metas there were, turned to Dick. "There are more than thirty…"

"I don't care," Dick whispered. "What difference does it make? We've got him!" He jabbed his thumb at Mal, who was still unconscious, lying against the wall.

"It's been well over thirty minutes," Karen whispered. "Why hasn't he woken up?"

Dick walked over to Mal, knelt down next to him and slapped his face. Mal moaned and slowly opened his eyes. As his vision came into focus, he immediately became alarmed.

"Where am I? Why am I against this wall? Who is this woman? Where's Aura?" he asked faster than his brain could process. Karen slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shhhhh! Chill out, dude," Dick whispered. Karen slowly removed her hand from Mal's mouth. Mal looked at the three misfits in front of him.

"Why are you helping me?" Mal asked, wondering why they were helping him after what he did to them. "Why does my body feel like it's full of cement?"

"You've been unconscious for most of the day," Karen answered. "I would feel that way too after going through the torture you've endured."

"Okay," Mal answered slowly. "So again, why are you helping me?"

"Long story, short: Auertisse is marrying Prince Red X in thirty minutes. All we have to do is break into the castle, crash the wedding, steal the princess, and make our escape after I destroy Count Slade," Dick explained.

"Well, that doesn't give us much time to goof off," Mal replied dryly. He looked at his hand; one of his fingers became intangible.

Vic got excited. "One of your fingers became intangible! That's awesome!"

"Eh, I've been a fast healer for as long as I've had my powers," Mal answered casually. He turned his head to Dick. "What's blocking the entrance?"

"Only one working castle gate," Dick answered. Vic picked up Mal so he could see over the castle wall.

"There are over sixty metas guarding the castle," Vic added. He put Mal back on the ground, his back against the wall.

"Add the fact that this entire castle is a dead zone which means that there is no Internet connection or cell phone signal," Dick added.

Mal slowly took this in. "What are our advantages?"

"Your brains and horn, Vic's strength, my sword, and whatever Karen has," Dick replied.

Mal did not like these said advantages. "That's it? If the wedding was a month away that would give me plenty of time for me to plan. But this?" He briefly became invisible.

"You just became invisible!" Vic exclaimed as Mal became visible again. "Doesn't that make you happy?"

Mal scowled at him. "My brains and horn, his sword, your strength, and whatever she has, and you think two seconds of invisibility is supposed to make me happy? I knew I should've brought my Duncan Thermos."

"You mean these?" Vic held up not one but two Thermoses. His three friends looked at him in shock.

"Dude, where did you get another Duncan Thermos?" asked Dick.

"I found it in that torture place where we found Malcolm," Vic answered.

"It's Mal," the meta muttered. "Where did you get the first one anyway?"

"Duncan Works."

Mal's eyebrows went straight up. "Wow! I never thought my family would still be in business after I left home ten years ago."

Dick turned towards Mal. "You left home ten years ago?"

"Business went downhill after one of our customers, a sword smith, was murdered. My mom sent me to Logan Farms to work as a farm boy and earn money for my family."

Dick's eyes became the size of dinner plates. "Dude! Remember? I told you my dad was a sword smith who died ten years ago! Now that I think about it, I remember my dad going to some shop for special tools to make the Soul Shredder."

Mal lowered one eyebrow. "Yeah, now that I think about it, he did have a kid around my age at the time. We played Mario Party while our parents worked. You wouldn't happen to be that same kid, would you?"

"What was your name again?"

"Mal Duncan."

"Dick Grayson."

The two looked at each other and smiled. "DUDE!" (**Me: Dear lord I'm starting to think like Beastboy!**) They said in unison. They gave each other a high five (well, Dick had to lift Mal's immobile hand to do it).

"I can't believe I didn't recognize you at the Cliffs! I can't believe I didn't remember your name!" Mal exclaimed.

"Puberty and trauma does weird things to people," Dick answered.

Karen interrupted their brief reunion. "What's going on here?"

"Let's just say we haven't been in contact with each other for so long, we didn't recognize each other," Mal explained.

"You two know each other?" asked Vic.

"Long ago," Dick replied. "We met shortly before my parents died."

Karen interrupted again. "Okay, back to the problem at hand! We have two thermoses, a giant with incredible strength, a swordsman with a weapon that can harm ghosts, and an immobilized meta with a horn. _They_ have sixty metas and my brother!"

"For the record, I'm not actually immobilized," Mal said matter-of-factly. "I'm just lacking the strength to stand at the moment. Give me a few minutes and I should be able to do so."

"So, how are we going to get past the guards?" asked Vic.

The amulet around Karen's neck began to glow. Her smooth skin became more reptilian. (**Me: What can I say? I LOVE DANNY PHANTOM! I still can't believe they cancelled it. Along with the Teen Titans.**)

* * *

Aura was having a wedding from hell. And by hell, that meant marrying a spoiled prince and wearing a pink wedding dress with pink hearts that itched like no body's business. She did NOT want to marry Red X that's for sure. She'd have a happier marriage with Jack the Ripper!

Other than the thought of marrying Red X, Aura had her mind on Mal. Where was he? Why hasn't he come for her? Was he planning on making a dramatic entrance as Herald when she was at the alter?

Red X entered her chambers and fastened a pearl necklace around her neck. Aura briefly wondered if he would strangle her with it.

"You don't seem excited, Cutie," Red X said in concern. It took everything Aura had not to gag at that pet name.

"Why should I?" she asked dryly.

"All brides should be excited on their wedding day," Red X stated.

Aura scoffed. "Yeah, brides who are excited to marry the ones they love! I feel nothing but resentment towards you." She turned around, facing away from the spoiled prince. "Mal will stop you and get me out of this nuthouse." She turned her head slightly. "For the record, it's bad luck for the groom to see his bride right before the beginning of the ceremony."


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I own only Auertisse, Midnight and Jasiri.**

* * *

This was it. The final showdown. Mal, Vic, and Dick looked over the palace wall. Dick held out his hand. Vick put his hand on Dick's. The two look at Mal who barely managed to lift his hand onto the others'. Looks like his strength was slowly but surely coming back. They looked up at their secret weapon and they all smiled.

* * *

Garfield Logan walked Aura down the aisle. She tried to go as slow as possible to stall for time but to no avail.

When they reached the alter, Garfield handed his daughter to Prince Red X and the two then knelt before Batman, founding member of the Justice League and reluctant clergyman. Batman was unwilling to participate in this scandal of Red X's. Unfortunately, Red X threatened to lock the Justice League in meta-proof cages for the rest of eternity. Batman had no choice but to cooperate. He didn't want to do it, given the fact that he helped train the Dread Pirate Herald to fight. Herald spoke a lot of his true love. It's unfortunate that Batman had to perform a marriage ceremony involving a spoiled prince and the true love of the Dread Pirate Herald.

Luckily Aura was able to speak to Batman before the ceremony started. Batman agreed to stall for time as well.

Batman cleared his throat. "Marriage…marriage is what brings us together this evening…" He was trying to go as slow as possible…slow enough to make Clockwork himself fall asleep. "Marriage, the blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream…"

Red X groaned. This was going to be a long wedding. A sudden commotion interrupted the whole thing. Screaming could be heard through the thick walls of the chapel. Add a huge roar and you've got major chaos outside. Red X's eyes widened in recognition at the roar, which Aura noticed.

"…And love, true love, will follow you forever…"

This was getting annoying for the prince. He nodded to Count Slade who immediately snuck out of the chapel.

"…So treasure your love…"

Red X narrowed his eyes at Batman. "Skip to the end!" he hissed.

"Do you have the ring?" asked Batman innocently. As Red X hastily pulled the rings out of his pocket, the screams got louder.

Aura smirked confidently. "Here comes Mal now."

Red X shoved one of the rings on Aura's fingers. "Your Mal is dead. I killed the meta myself."

Aura still smirked at him. "You're still afraid that he's still alive," she said confidently. "It's written all over your face."

* * *

Karen, now a yellow and black dragon, attacked the sixty guards. Dick and Vic shoved the front gate wide open, each armed with a Duncan Thermos. Karen roared and breathed yellow and black fire at every meta who tried to attack her. Dick and Vic sucked metas left and right into their Thermoses. Mal, who was riding on Karen's back (and holding on with what little strength he had), slipped off her back. He landed on his feet only for his legs to give out and tumble into the dirt. His strength was returning fast but not fast enough. Usually water or an energy drink would do the trick if he ever got tired. He stared at the backpack Dick was carrying...

When Vic and Dick sucked up the metas, they scooped up Mal and approached Mammoth who was guarding the door to the chapel. The ginger oaf was shaking in his armour.

"Give us the gate key!" Mal demanded, his eyes glowing white threateningly for a brief moment.

"What gate key?" Mammoth asked as innocently as he could, his eyes shifting from side to side. "I don't have a gate key."

"Hey Karen! Wanna bite?" Vic called to the dragon. Karen looked up and stared at Mammoth. She then licked her lips.

"Oh! You mean this key?" asked Mammoth pulling out the key from around his neck. Dick snatched it out of his hand.

* * *

"And do you…Princess Auertisse…" Batman said nervously.

"Say husband and wife! Say it!" Red X hissed.

Batman sighed in defeat. "Husband and wife," he said forlornly. He looked at Aura apologetically. Aura understood why Batman did it.

Red X turned to the guards. "Escort my bride to the Honeymoon Suite. I'll be there shortly," he growled. He then dashed out through the side door.

Aura stared at the closed chapel doors in disbelief. "He didn't come," she mumbled in disappointment and heartbreak. "Why didn't he come?"

* * *

Dick and Vic, who was carrying Mal, were running through the castle corridors, looking for Slade and Aura.

"Where can I find Slade so I can fight him?" asked Dick angrily.

Vic paled. "Does that answer your question?" He pointed to Slade and a group of guards.

Slade saw the trio of misfits in front of him. He turned to one of the guards. "Kill the boy and the giant who is carrying him. Take the third one in for questioning."

As the guards closed in on the trio, Dick grabbed his sword and charged at the guards. He slashed at them all. The moment the Soul Shredder cut through the guards, their bodies glowed and then disappeared.

Vic and Mal were impressed. "Dude! Has that happened before?" Vic asked.

Dick just shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first time something like this ever happened."

"So you don't know where they went?" asked Mal.

"Not a clue."

Slade then fired a ray at the trio. They dodged it. Dick then slowly approached the masked meta-human. "Hello. My name is Dick Grayson. You killed my parents. Prepare to die."

Slade glared daggers at the Romanian. Without warning, he turned tail and fled.

"Hey!" Dick chased after him. Slade phased through a locked door. Dick slammed, face first, into said door. He tried to open it. Locked. "Vic! A little help here?"

"Uh…" Vic hesitated. Kind of hard to do when he's carrying someone who can barely stand. "I would if I could, Dick. But what would I do with Duncan? I can't just leave him here!"

"Vic! Slade is getting away! Please Vic!"

Vic looked around and saw a suit of armour. "Are you able to become completely intangible yet?"

Mal was able to do so. Vic shoved Mal into the suit of armour. "Stay there. I'll be right back."

"YOU'D BETTER!" the suit of armour yelled.

Vic then ran off to help Dick. He marched up to the door and shoved it open. Dick ran in, sword in hand. "Thanks, dude!"

Vic smiled then returned to Mal only to return to a pile of armour on the floor. Vic looked in all directions. "Hmm…where did Duncan go?"

* * *

Batman silently escorted Aura to the Honeymoon suite. The poor girl was in a daze.

Batman broke the silence. "Forgive me, Princess. I did not wish to do it. I tried to stall for as long as I could. I pray you understand."

"It's not your fault, Batman," the Keeper said sadly. "You had to protect the Justice League and the world."

Batman smiled. "You may be a semi-Goth, Princess, but your heart is pure gold. Just like the Dread Pirate Herald said."

A spark came to life in Aura's eyes. "You know Mal?"

"Briefly," Batman answered. "The Justice League's greatest treasure, the Infi-map, was stolen. Herald was able to retrieve it. I repaid him by teaching him how to fight. He spoke highly of you. He said that once he's mastered his abilities, he would return to the Human World for his true love."

"I see," Aura said sadly. She pulled out the ice crystal Mal gave to her in the Ecto Swamp. "Too bad Red X killed him." Without another word, Aura entered the Honeymoon Suite to end it all.

* * *

Dick continued running through the castle chasing after Count Slade. He fired several rays at Dick who quickly repelled them with his Soul Shredder. The chase eventually ended with them in an abandoned dining hall. Three Slade duplicates (**Me: *shudder* more Slades? One's bad enough but hey what you gonna do?**) Appeared and surrounded Dick. While he tried to fight them off, the real Slade fired a ray directly at Dick's back. He fell over in pain.

"I'm…sorry, Mom and Dad," he croaked. "I…was so…close…"

Slade then realized whom he was fighting this whole time. "You must be that Romanian brat I taught a lesson to ten years ago." He then grinned evilly behind his mask. "And to think, all these years of chasing me only ends in failure. What a waste of a useless life."

Dick could only scowl at the masked man.

* * *

Aura shut the door to the Honeymoon Suite and locked the door. Not that it would work anyway since most of Red X's court could walk through walls or teleport. She walked over to a desk and opened the front drawer with a box inside it. She opened the box. Inside was a gun. The Keeper picked it up and turned it on. She then put it to her temple. Her finger prepared to pull the trigger…

"You know, there aren't many Keepers as beautiful as you. It would be a shame if the world lost one."

Aura turned around and saw Mal Duncan lying on the bed.

"MAL!" Aura dropped the gun and pounced on the bed, embracing Mal tightly. "Mal, why aren't you hugging me back?"

"Oxygen," Mal said gently.

"That's all you can say, Mal? Oxygen?" She hugged him even tighter.

"CAN'T BREATHE! OXYGEN!" Mal cried.

"Oops! Sorry!" Aura let him go, his head banged on the headboard. Mal gave her a goofy grin. He lifted his hand and pulled Aura closer to him and gave her a warm kiss.

* * *

Dick managed to get back on his feet with the help of his sword as support. Fire was in his eyes as he stared at Slade with hate. The masked count looked at the swordsman in surprise.

"Honestly! You're still trying to fight back?" he scoffed. "It's quite clear who the victor is in this duel."

Dick then stood upright and scowled at Slade. "Not this time, Slade Wilson!"

Slade smirked. "It's quite clear you have an overbearing sense of vengeance. Better be careful or it will get you in trouble someday." He then fires a ray at Dick who blocked it with his sword.

"Hello. My name is Dick Grayson. You killed my parents. Prepare to die."

Slade then split into three Slades again. All three of them then fired rays at Tucker. He spun around in circles, using his sword as a shield. He then used the Soul Shredder on the copies that quickly disappeared. Dick then continued fighting Slade at close range. Quite a risky move on Dick's part but he didn't care. Not when he was SO close to avenging his parents.

"Hello. My name is Dick Grayson. You killed my parents. Prepare to die."

Slade tried fighting Dick using his fists since his rays were useless on the Soul Shredder. Slade punched Dick in the face, knocking his sun glasses off his face. Before Dick could reach for them, Slade crushed them with his foot.

"Oops," he said feigning innocence.

That did it! "HELLO! MY NAME IS DICK GRAYSON! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS! PREPARE TO DIE!"

That line was beginning to annoy the masked man. "Will you stop saying that?"

Dick answered by thrusting the Soul Shredder into Slade's chest. "HELLO! MY NAME IS DICK GRAYSON! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS! PREPARE TO DIE!"

Now Slade was scared. Something he hadn't felt in years. "No! Please! I beg of you! Spare me!"

"Will you give me money?" asked Dick.

"Yes!"

"Power?"

"All that and more!"

Dick smiled evilly. "I only ask for one thing."

"Yes?"

The flames of hate then returned to Dick's eyes. "I WANT MY PARENTS BACK YOU SON-OF-A-GHOAL!"

Dick pulled his sword out of Slade's chest. His chest started glowing and then…disappeared. Seeing that his arch-foe was finally defeated, Dick then sat down on an empty chair. Something was still bothering though: Where the heck did he send Slade?

* * *

Slade opened his eyes to find himself on a giant deserted island. He looked at his reflection in the water to see himself without his mask. He tried using his powers to get back to the castle but nothing happened.

Giving up, Slade entered the large jungle hoping that there's something to eat or drink on this island. His trek eventually led him to a giant village. "Hello? Anyone here?"

The citizens came out of their huts at once. Slade paled instantly.

"SLADE!" Thousands of giant teens surrounded Slade and pulled him into literally the largest group hug ever!

"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The Soul Shredder sent him to the dimension of his worst fear.

* * *

All seemed right with Mal. He was still alive. Aura was snuggled in his arms, safe and sound. All he had to do was get her out of the castle and away from Red X.

He looked at Aura and started stroking her blue-black hair. "I don't need to be a fashion expert to know that that shade of pink is NOT your colour," he stated.

Aura looked up at him, looking heartbroken. Her ugly pink dress was not why she was unhappy. Well, okay, that was part of the reason but not the main reason. She quickly changed the dress to a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt with her now functioning powers.

"I'm so sorry, Mal," she croaked trying not to break out in tears.

Mal looked at her confused. "What are you talking about?"

Tears then started running down Aura's cheeks. "I got married to someone else. I didn't want to," she sobbed. "It just happened so fast!" Her eyes were now running like a faucet. At this moment she didn't care that she was a Keeper or a pescitarian. All she cared about was Mal.

He chuckled softly. "It never happened."

Aura became confused. "Huh? What?"

"It never happened," he said again.

"Yes it did," Sam argued. "Batman said 'husband and wife.'"

"Did you guys exchange vows and said 'I do'?"

"Uh…no. We kind of…skipped that part."

Mal smirked. "I knew it! Every religion I know has a wedding ceremony that involves exchanging vows one way or another. You didn't perform anything special for your ceremony, did you? Some weddings do that instead of saying their vows."

"Other than kneel, nothing really," Aura answered.

"Ha! Then you're not married!" Mal exclaimed happily. "You didn't say anything and you didn't do anything! You're still single! Don't you agree, Your Royal Monkey Skeleton?"

Aura got up and saw that Prince Red X was standing in the doorway. He was fuming!

"A technicality that can easily be remedied," he said bitterly. "But first thing's first. A fight to the death."

Mal just rolled his eyes. "What is it with you people and fighting to the death? Sheesh!"

"The only difference is that _you'll_ be the one dying!" Red X shouted as his amulet started glowing.

"Aura, reach into my satchel. There's a bottle of Gatorade in there. I like to start my fights fully energized, no pun intended," Mal said to Aura.

Red X then transformed into a gigantic red and black dragon. Due to his size, most of the Honeymoon Suite crumbled. Mal made himself and Aura intangible luckily. Red X flew out of the castle into the night sky, breathing fire everywhere he went. Mal phased out of the debris with Aura in his arms. Aura gave Mal the bottle of Gatorade (another one stolen from Dick's backpack) that he took a huge swig of.

"Take it easy! Otherwise that energy drink will come back the way it came!" Aura scolded. Mal slowed down. The two watched as Karen tried to take on her older brother. "What's with the yellow and black dragon?"

"That's Red X's sister, Karen," Mal explained casually. "She'll take over the kingdom once Red X is out of the picture."

The two watched as the dragon siblings battled each other for about the next hour. Eventually, Red X defeated Karen.

"I thought you said that Karen would win," Aura said in disbelief.

"I did," answered Mal who was just as shocked as Aura. "Maybe someone has to shove Red X off of his throne…" He stood up, staggering a little.

"What? No, you idiot! You're in no condition to fight Red X!" Aura reasoned. "But I am."

"No. You could get seriously hurt. I lost you once. I'm never losing you again." Mal said as Aura turned her outfit into an armoured version of her superhero costume.

"I don't care!" Aura argued. "If you die it will destroy me! I think –"

Mal kissed her wholeheartedly on her lips, shutting her up. Completely forgetting she was trying to reason with him, Aura kissed him back.

Mal then ended the kiss and started walking away from Aura. He then turned around and gave her one more goofy grin before going into battle.

"Any requests?" Mal asked Aura as he whipped out his horn.

He then launched himself into the air, going full-speed at the black and red dragon. He landed a powerful punch in the dragon's jaw. It did little damage. Red X retaliated by breathing fire at Herald. The meta defended himself by firing ice beams at the fire but to no avail. Herald quickly became intangible before he could get seriously burned. Red X tried swiping at Herald with his large clawed paw. Herald flew underneath Red X and grabbed his tail. Like a playful puppy, Red X started chasing his tail.

Herald now officially knew what it's like to participate in a rodeo! Wrestling with Vic was just the calm before the storm! He hung on to Red X's tail for dear life waiting for the right moment to let go. Out of the corner of his eye, Herald saw Red X's jaw about to close on him. Herald then gave Red X's tail a hard tug and then let go. Red X then bit his own tail. He roared in pain and anger at his own stupidity. (**Me while holding my stomach from laughing: Sorry but I just love that scene from Kung Fu Panda. *wipes tear from eye* it gets me every time**)

Herald was clutching his stomach from laughing. "Oldest trick in the book!" he laughed. Red X quickly snapped his mouth shut on Herald.

"MAL!" Aura yelled charging up her fists. Red X was smirking in victory when he suddenly felt something cold on his teeth. He opened his mouth and roared in pain. Herald quickly flew out of his mouth.

"Congratulations!" Herald cheered, his fists glowing bright blue. "You just experienced your first brain-freeze!"

Red X then tried to eat Herald again but the meta was ready. He fired an ice ray at the dragon, chipping his tooth. Red X howled in pain.

"I didn't want to do this," Herald stated, "but I'm afraid I have no other options." He landed on the ground in front of Aura. "Cover your ears," he said to her. He then took a deep breath and unleashed a powerful blast from his trumpet. The shockwaves hit Red X with a vengeance. Red X crash landed on the rubble that was once his castle. He tried to fly but the sound was too much for his eardrums. The red gem on Red X's amulet then shattered into a million pieces. The black and red dragon then shrank back into Red X's human form. The trumpet blast ended leaving Herald out of breath.

"NO!" Red X screamed. "This cannot be!" He tried to flee but Karen pinned him to the ground with her giant paw.

"Mal, are you okay?" asked Aura finally shedding her armour for her normal uniform.

Mal grunted as he got back on his feet. His knees were still wobbling. "I'll be fine. Help me get to Karen. There's one more thing I need to do," he responded.

Aura guided him to the yellow and black dragon ghost. Red X looked up at Mal who was now towering over him. "Please! Have you no mercy?" he begged.

Mal tapped his chin, thinking about it. "I'll spare you because if I don't it will make Aura upset." Red X smiled at this. "However, I think she would agree with me when I say you'll spend the rest of your life in the Ghost Zone!"

Red X then frowned at Mal's decision. He phased into the ground and resurfaced a few feet away from them. Mal hastily got out a Duncan Thermos (also stolen from Dick's backpack) and sucked Red X in.

"What makes you think I'll be upset if you destroyed Red X?" asked Aura.

"What? I though you didn't like the fact I killed people," Mal said referring to their conversation at the ravine.

"Well, yeah, but I could have made an exception for him. I really hated him! He tried to make me eat meat!" she grimaced. "Have you really killed people or were you just bluffing?"

"No. I haven't killed anyone. Destroyed evil metas, yes, but not humans. The previous Dread Pirate Heralds have killed humans but not me."

Aura smiled at that. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek. Karen changed back to her human form.

Mal turned to her. "So now that your brother is out of the way, I guess you're now the ruler of Jump, huh?"

Karen smiled. "There's going to be many changes around here."

Dick then showed up. He looked wounded a little but he was okay. "You defeated Red X?"

Mal smiled at him. "Yep. That fire breathing jerk will not be coming back!"

Dick was surprised. "You caused THIS much damage?" Mal nodded. "That explains the trumpeting I heard a moment ago." Tucker then bowed to Aura. "Your Highness."

Aura then smacked upside the head. "The marriage was null and void. I'm not royalty. And call me Aura!"

Dick stood up, rubbing his head. "Message received." He turned to Mal. "Have you seen Vic?"

Mal frowned. "I thought he was with you."

"No."

Mal's legs then gave out on him. Aura luckily caught him. "Mal! Be careful!"

"He just spent most of the day unconscious. He's had a hard day," Dick explained.

"Gee, thanks Doc," Mal said sarcastically.

The group then heard Vic calling them. "Dick! Duncan! Where are you?"

"Dude! Over here!" Dick called back. The African giant came running towards the group carrying two hover boards.

"I found these for our getaway," Vic showed them. "But there were only two. Sorry, Duncan."

"Actually," Mal answered straightening up, "I think I'll be alright." He then scooped Aura up bridal style. He then turned to Karen. "I'm guessing we'll be seeing you around?"

Karen then smiled. "Come back in a few months. When everything is cleaned up, I have something very special in mind for all four of you."

* * *

Mal, Aura, Vic and Dick returned to Jump several months later. The castle was rebuilt and it was better than ever. As the new ruler of Jump, Karen knighted the three men and one woman for helping her reclaim the throne.

Dick was appointed the Head of Security after Karen fired Mammoth (literally). With Dick's technology, the castle's security was tighter than Fort Knox. In the meantime, he and Mal would hang out in the courtyard catching up.

Vic trained the guards how to fight in hand-to-hand combat. He seemed happier after fighting Red X. No one insulted him for his height, bionics or his lack of brains.

Mal tried again to get the Logans' blessing for Aura's hand in marriage. Seeing that he did save their daughter from murder and saved the kingdom, they approved…reluctantly.

"I don't care if he saves Auertisse's life a hundred times. I still don't like him," said Jasiri.

"I can't believe our daughter is marrying a meta pirate…who used to be our farm boy!" Garfield exclaimed.

"Oh, shut up! Both of you!" Grandfather Mnyama scolded.

"Baba! He _stole_ all of that treasure!" Jasiri pointed out. "He didn't _earn_ it!"

"That's why they're called 'shortcuts.' The sooner he got his fortune, the better!" Grandfather Mnyama stated. "Besides, Her Highness rewarded him with plenty of gold to last till he has grandchildren! Add the stolen treasure into the pile and his family's set for several generations!"

"Father, I still don't think –"

"CAN IT! At least this time you won't be able to get rid of him so easily."

* * *

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," said Batman. "You may kiss the bride."

Mal lifted the veil away from Aura's face and kissed her. Everyone cheered.

"WAY TO GO, DUDE!" cheered Dick.

It was a beautiful wedding. Aura wore a gold and silver wedding dress, complete with the old "something white, something old, something borrowed, something blue" accessories. Aura agreed that her mother could decorate for the reception, provided that it goes with the colours of Aura's choosing. A buffet was laid out into two sections: meat and soy.

When the reception ended, the four met outside of the chapel.

"You know," Dick started, "I've been in the revenge business for ten years."

"And?" Vic asked.

"Well, now that I've gotten my revenge, what now?"

Mal smiled at his best man. "You know, you've got really good fencing skills. How would you like to be the proud owner of the _Gabriel_?" Mal left out the fact that he and Kwan dismantled the Portal on the ship weeks ago.

Dick thought about it. "Dick Herald? I like it!"

Aura rolled her eyes. "'Dread Pirate Herald' is now a title, you idiot. You can't change your last name to Herald just because you're a pirate."

"Why not?" Dick argued. "Mal did for his superhero name."

"Besides, I've already claimed the name in writing," Mal said. He held up a document as proof.

"Aw, man!" Dick moaned.

"You get to meet a lot of girls," Mal insisted.

That sold him! "Deal! From this day forward I shall be known as the Wicked Pirate Grayson!" His friends laughed at the ridiculous new name.

* * *

Mal scooped up Aura, bridal style, and flew off.

"So, now that you are my husband what next?" asked Aura.

"I don't know," Herald shrugged. "The sky's the limit, I guess."

Aura giggled. "How about we start building that summer home in the Ecto Swamp?"

Mal gazed deeply into Aura's violet ones. "Whatever you say." He then gave her the most passionate kiss she ever had.

The End.

* * *

_Midnight closed the book. _

_"That was an awesome story, Midnight! Thanks a bunch!" said Raven obviously under the affects of a fever._

_"You're welcome. Now you need to get some shuteye! Can't fight the flu by staying awake all the time." _

_She turned around and started to leave until Raven stopped her. "Midnight?"_

_She turned around. "Yeah, Raven?"_

_"Could you please get a copy of the book for me?" Raven asked hopefully._

_"Sure thing." Midnight said._

* * *

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Was the sound that woke the Titans from their dream. Soon they all raced out the door to face the latest villain attack.

* * *

**Me: Ah how I love this movie. Can't wait to read the book. Also big thanks to lilysash97 and rinpup14 for reviewing. Also I am in desperate need of ideas for the next chapter so please send them in. Hopefully it won't take a month to get the chapter up. Well I'll see you soon I hope. Chavonnie26 GO! *runs off to my room ready to cry my eyes out at the thought of not writing for a month***


	38. Chapter 38

**Me: Would you look at that? I actually got to write another chapter!**

**Raven: I'm impressed. Are you sure you can't turn invisible?**

**Me: Yes I'm sure. Big thanks to rinpup14 for reviewing.**

**Raven: Chavonnie26 owns only Auertisse, Jasiri and Midnight. Pyra belongs to SkysFireLady15. Now onto the fic.**

* * *

Ah birthdays. That one day a year where we are treated like kings and queens yet are also reminded how old we are. Yes birthdays are bitter sweet but they can become totally bitter if everyone including your boyfriend forgets.

"So what are we doing today? Anything special?" Auertisse asked hopefully.

She figured everyone was planning a surprise party for her 15th birthday that day.

"No not really." Robin said as they entered the common room that was completely bare of any decorations.

"Oh." Auertisse said finally realizing everyone forgot her birthday.

First she and the other Titans had something Starfire whipped up for breakfast (Not particularly appetising)thenshe had to help Beastboy and Jasiri clean their rooms, then help Cyborg fix the T-Car and finally had to spend the rest of the day training with Robin.

Auertisse then walked back to her room in silence. Her eyes were brimming with tears. Herald even forgot. When Auertisse was in the safety of her room she burst out crying. She didn't come out of her room for the rest of the day which got all of the Titans worried.

"Aura are you ok?" Jasiri asked through the door ready to jump out of the way at a second's notice.

"Why would I be?!" Auertisse yelled in between sobs.

Everyone looked confused at why she was sobbing. So they all took turns guessing at why she was upset.

"Did Herald break up with you?" Starfire asked since it was the most obvious guess.

"NO!" Auertisse yelled getting even more upset, "HERE'S A HINT! CHECK THE CALENDER!"

Everyone was confused at her response but did so anyway. All their jaws dropped when they saw what was written on it. They had all forgotten her birthday.

"I can't believe we forgot." Raven said sadly.

"We are so dead when she calms down." Jasiri said fearing for her health.

"How are we going to make it up to her?" Starfire asked hoping that Auertisse would forgive them.

"Throw her a party?" Beastboy asked almost as if he expected to be slapped.

"That's actually a good idea grass stain." Cyborg said as he started calling up all the other Titans and explained the situation.

"Raven you handle food, Starfire entertainment, Beastboy decorations, I'll do the gifts." Robin ordered as he started heading towards the garage.

"What'll I do?" Jasiri asked hoping she wouldn't have to do what she thought she had to do.

"You are going to calm Auertisse down." Robin told her as she paled so much she could have been considered European.

"What did I ever do to you?!" Jasiri squeaked as she looked ready to hide under her bed.

"It's either that or help me with the presents." Robin told her and she ran off so fast that a cartoon dust cloud was left in her place in the exact same shape as her.

"That was easy." Robin said as he headed down to the garage.

* * *

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Auertisse yelled as she tossed Jasiri out the window with her powers.

It was like throwing motor oil on an inferno. It only made things worse. It was only a matter of time until someone got seriously hurt. Auertisse slammed the widow down with such force that the window cracked. Auertisse then noticed her guitar in the corner and started playing it to vent some of her frustrations. It worked she did feel better but only for a while. Sighing she put her guitar down and crashed onto her bed. Suddenly she heard music coming from outside her door. Curious she investigated. What she found was a huge surprise party all for her.

"You guys did remember!" Auertisse yelled with a smile that would make the Joker proud.

"Of course. What kind of inconsiderate friends would forget their friend's 15th birthday?" Beastboy said hoping to cover his and the others tracks.

Auertisse then ran down and hugged everyone at once.

"Thank you so much!" Auertisse said happily.

"Ah but before the party can start first you have to open your presents." Herald said while dragging her to a mountain of presents.

"All this for me?" Auertisse asked almost as if she thought that it was all a dream.

"Yeah. This is from me." Herald said as he handed her a box that was wrapped with gold wrapping paper.

Auertisse opened it and an adorable face greeted her.

"Aww a puppy." Auertisse said as she cuddled the small dog to her chest.

The puppy was entirely black with a tiny streak of white on it's chest and had the largest paws and brown eyes.

"Isn't she adorable?" Auertisse asked as she quickly gave the puppy an examination.

Soon all the girls were crowded around Auertisse and her puppy that she still had yet to name.

"So what are you going to name her?" Midnight asked as she tickled the dog's belly.

"Belle." Auertisse said as the puppy barked in response.

"Mine next!" Jasiri said as she handed Auertisse a small box.

Auertisse opened it to find a charm bracelet just like Jasiri's. Afterwards Auertisse opened gift after gift until she came to the last one that was almost the same size as Jasiri and Beastboy.

"This one's from me." Robin told her as she opened the present.

Auertisse raised an eyebrow sceptically and carefully opened the present almost as if she expected it to explode. But no one could blame her because of her rivalry with Robin. But she didn't need to be so careful. What Robin got her was her own customised motor-cycle with her new symbol and everything.

"This is so cool!" Auertisse yelled as she climbed onto the bike and tried it out.

Soon she was driving the bike all over the common room. She even drove it on the ceiling. Yet surprisingly Belle stayed on the bike with her the entire time. It was obvious Auertisse was using her powers. The party was a great success. Auertisse totally forgave everyone for forgetting her birthday. And turned out Bella had powers as well. No clue how that happened but hey who am I the lowly paid author to judge? Auertisse even showed Beastboy and Jasiri how to hot wire a motor bike. And let's just say they had to make an emergency trip to the infirmary and garage.

* * *

"Another year closer to the prophecy being fulfilled. I must convince her to be on my side." The shadow said while reading an old script written in Latin.

Translated it said

'She who is pure of heart and mind will rise to defeat the woman shrouded in shadows. She will gain unbelievable powers on her sixth birthday and meet the shadow woman face to face. The final battle will be waged on her sixteenth birthday. She will amass an army as will the shadow woman. But should she succumb to the shadow woman's advances the world will be plunged into darkness.'

"She will not win." The shadow said as it stared at the board covered in villain files in front of her.

"She has her army. I guess it's time to get mine." The shadow said as it disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

* * *

**Me: Man I'm glad I was able to churn that out. So calling all artists could you please draw the cast of this fic I'll do anything! ANYTHING! Well I'll see you guys soon. Chavonnie26 GO! *heads off to bed***


	39. Chapter 39

**Me: Wow looks like having my aunt around isn't so bad after all.**

**Raven: True. So why are we doing this again?**

**Me: I'm hoping that it might give my other stories a popularity boost.**

**Raven: Well good luck with that. Chavonnie26 owns only Auertisse, Jasiri and Chavonne. Oh and the Keepers.**

**Me: Thanks Rae now onto the fic!**

* * *

"Look out!" A black and white blur yelled as it came in for a crash landing in the Titans common room.

The Titans had just finished a delicious breakfast made by Cyborg so they weren't really prepared for something to crash into the tower at the speed of a missile. That something turned out to be a girl around Auertisse's age. The girl had white hair that went down to the small of her back and was left loose and had bright electric blue eyes. She wore black baggy pants with two white stripes up each side with a white belt, a black long sleeve t-shirt that exposed her midriff with a white collar, white gloves and boots. And she also had a ghostly glow.

"GHOST!" Beastboy and Jasiri yelled as they ran to hide behind Auertisse.

"Chill guys." Auertisse said as she approached the girl and helped her to her feet.

The girl was the same height as her.

"I'm Auertisse and you?" Auertisse asked the girl while the others cowered in the kitchen.

"I'm Chavonne. Nice to meet you." The girl now known as Chavonne said as she shook Auertisse's hand.

"Let me guess. Stray portal?" Auertisse asked Chavonne like they were old friends or something.

"Nope. Infini-map." Chavonne said as she showed Auertisse a map of who knows where.

"Ah that explains it." Auertisse said as the others slowly came out from their hiding places.

"You know about the Ghost Zone?" Chavonne asked Auertisse confusedly.

"Yep one of my favourite places to vacation. That is if you don't mind all the ecto-plasm." Auertisse said with a chuckle.

"Cool," Chavonne said as she noticed the others, "Who are they?"

"This is Robin, Cyborg, Jasiri, Beastboy and Raven." Auertisse said as she pointed to each person when she said their name.

Chavonne's eyes widened for a short moment but it was pretty much unnoticed.

"So when are you heading home?" Auertisse asked Chavonne casually.

But really on the inside she was getting a bit worked up. Whenever someone managed to break the inter-dimensional walls a Keeper always got in trouble. But Auertisse wasn't that worried since she was pretty good friends with the Keeper for the Ghost Zone.

"I'm heading home right now." Chavonne told her as she unrolled the map and waited for it to take her home.

Except it didn't. Instead it wrapped around her wrist and vanished into her skin leaving a compass mark on her hand. Auertisse paled and looked ready to cry her eyes out.

"No. Sabrina." Auertisse whispered as she blinked her eyes to get rid of the tears welling up in them.

"Welcome to the Keepers." Auertisse said solemnly as the sun and moon mark on her hand started glowing as well as the mark on Chavonne's hand.

Everyone looked confused including Chavonne.

"Whenever a Keeper um retires another is chosen. And it appears Chavonne is the new Keeper for the Ghost Zone." Auertisse explained as she looked like she wanted to scratch her hand badly just like Chavonne was doing.

"And as the first fully-trained Keeper to find her I am now her trainer." Auertisse said as she grabbed Chavonne's marked hand with her own marked hand.

The reaction was a wave of blue and green energy came off the two teens but didn't destroy anything though. Instead it coated everything in a layer of plants including the Titans. When the wave stopped both girls were wearing different outfits.

Auertisse wore a sleeveless gold dress that stopped just short of her knees, silver boots that stopped at her knees and had gold moons and suns up the sides, a silver belt that looked like linked stars, suns and moons, silver fingerless gloves that went past her elbows and a tiara that had her symbol on it while Chavonne wore a long sleeve ecto-plasmic green dress that stopped just short of her knees, black boots that went up to her knees, a black belt that looked like joined compasses and a black tiara with a compass on it.

"Welcome to the Keepers. Recruit Phantasma Congelationis of the Ghost Zone." Auertisse said though it wasn't in her normal voice.

It sounded more mature and slightly echoic.

"Thank you Keeper Auertisse Heroina." Chavonne said with her own voice sounding different.

"Whoa. Wicked light show." Jasiri said as she tried to get out of her grassy prison.

That seemed to snap the two girls out of it.

"Sorry about that I should have warned you." Auertisse said as she snapped her fingers and everything went back to normal.

That is except for their outfits.

"Cool new uniform." Auertisse and Chavonne said at the same time as they saw their outfits.

They both burst out laughing. Everyone else looked confused at the pair. But they all jumped back including Auertisse when a ring of bright white light appeared around Chavonne and travelled up and down her body completely changing her appearance.

Her hair was now brown and so were her eyes but her outfit was what caught everyone's attention. All the colours were inverted. Her dress was now an ice blue, her boots, belt and tiara white. But her symbol stayed the same.

"Did I forget to mention I'm a halfa?" Chavonne asked almost sheepishly.

"Yes." The Titans answered in unison.

Chavonne then explained everything and was put on one month probation to become a Titan. She even healed Beastboy and Jasiri's broken bones. Basically Chavonne was quickly welcomed into the Titans until she was able to go home or chose to transfer to Titans South or North.

* * *

"Another one! One is bad enough!" The shadow yelled in disbelief at what she was witnessing.

All the villains she had recovered from Paris were still frozen and ready to be deployed.

"Fine if she wants to fight then I'll give her a fight." The shadow said as it looked at the blueprints for Jump City prison.

"I will win. And no Keeper will stop me. No matter how powerful." The shadow said grimly.

* * *

**Me: So anyone have any ideas for the next chapter because I really need them? Please I'm desperate! Well I'll see you all soon. Chavonnie26 GO! *researches online for any ideas***


	40. Chapter 40

**Me: As a wise woman once said 'If you lack inspiration go back to the beginning' so I'm going to do something that might be a bit clichéd but incredibly fun to write! Too bad I have to get swapped too but hey what you gonna do? **

**Raven: Please don't make me swap with her! PLEASE!**

**Me: Sorry but you've already been Starfire before. I only own Auertisse, Jasiri and Chavonne. Also big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing and to lilysash97 for reviewing and following. I totally feel the love.**

**Raven: Oh when I'm done with you you're gonna wish you had never even found FanFiction! *starts to chase after me with a Fenton Anti-Creep Stick***

**Me while running for my life: Why do I even have that? *a giant spider joins the chase* Oh yeah that's why *a giant rat and snake also join the chase* and that! See you at the bottom! *runs even faster while looking paler than a ghost***

* * *

Ah being yourself. One of the most difficult yet easiest things we can do. But what would happen if we couldn't be ourselves? This is something the Teen Titans found out for themselves.

"YAAAAHHHHHHH!" The Titans yelled as they woke up in the wrong rooms in the wrong bodies.

* * *

"Ok what on earth happened?" Auertisse asked from inside Starfire's body.

"If I knew I would have told you." Chavonne said from inside Cyborg's body.

Everyone was wearing their normal uniforms on the other person's body except Cyborg who was in Chavonne's body and Chavonne. He was still in her pajamas because as he put it 'The situation was already weird enough it didn't need to get any weirder.' To which all the Titans agreed.

"So Robin any guesses on who did this?" Auertisse asked Robin who was in Beastboy's body.

"Well I do have a rough guess." Robin said hesitantly as the rest of the Titans paled while Jasiri (who was in Raven's body and blowing something up nearly every two seconds), Chavonne and Auertisse looked confused.

"Who?" Jasiri asked as a knife missed Auertisse by inches cutting off some of Starfire's hair instead.

"Hey!" Auertisse and Starfire (Who was in Auertisse's body) yelled at the same time but for different reasons.

Auertisse because her head was almost taken off and Starfire because of the unexpected and unwanted haircut.

"Oops." Jasiri said as nearly everything became enshrouded in black and looked very much like it would explode at any given second.

"The Puppet King." Cyborg spat out as he and Chavonne started glowing.

Suddenly a wicked light show came off the two and when it finished they were both back in their own bodies.

"I'm me again!" Cyborg and Chavonne yelled in unison as Chavonne changed her pajamas into her new uniform.

"Great. Now can you please change us back to normal? I don't think I'll ever get the smell of tofu off of my body." Raven said through Jasiri's body as Jasiri ate some tofu with manners that would even make a pig appalled.

Chavonne nodded her head and everyone returned to their rightful bodies but still in the other person's uniform.

"I am never going to live this down," Robin said as he stared at Beastboy's uniform that he was wearing, "Or get the smell out of my nose."

"I know how you feel." Raven said as she grabbed her cloak off Jasiri to try and hide what she was wearing.

The action only caused Jasiri to catch a chill and Beastboy to drool.

"Nice job for a recruit. But let the pro take it from here." Auertisse said as she snapped her fingers and everything was back to normal including Starfire's hair.

"We so need to bump up the security." Auertisse said as she took a seat out the couch only to jump up in pain as something burnt her.

"Maybe it wasn't him but _Her._" Auertisse said with venom in her voice as she noticed black sparkles on her friends and herself.

Everyone knew who she was mainly because whenever Auertisse said the word like she did it always meant one person. The shadow. That ever present thorn in their sides but more Auertisse's than anything else. Yet they didn't know why. Jasiri and Beastboy had these crazy theories that Auertisse was part of an ancient prophecy that involved the shadow but everyone dismissed these ideas as being incredibly stupid. Oh how wrong they were because Beastboy and Jasiri were right. They just didn't know it yet.

"So who's up for a vacation?" Beastboy asked hoping to calm Auertisse down.

"Not a bad idea grass stain. All we need to do is call in the Titans South and we can go party with the Titans East." Auertisse said surprizing everyone.

Auertisse was not one to shirk her responsibilities in favour of getting a massage but right then a massage sounded pretty good.

"I'm on it!" Chavonne yelled as she called up the Titans South and made up a fake reason for why they were to watch over Jump City for a week, while Cyborg called up the Titans East and told them their plan.

Soon everything was set up and the Titans East arrived at the tower dressed for vacation in casual clothes.

"Everyone ready?" Auertisse asked while getting ready to teleport everyone to her favourite vacation spot.

"YES!" Everyone shouted excitedly as they disappeared in a shower of blue sparkles.

They then reappeared in a calm tranquil spa resort.

"Whoa." Everyone besides Auertisse said in unison as they looked around.

Auertisse shook her head and walked over to the front desk.

"Hello we have a reservation. We're the Heroina party." Auertisse told the front desk lady politely.

"Ah yes here it is. Your cabins are ready. Here are the keys and your schedules. I hope you enjoy your week here at Pacata Fontes Spa." The front desk lady said as she handed Auertisse the keys and the schedules.

"Thank you." Auertisse said as she left to round up her friends.

* * *

"Drat out smarted again! By a teen no less!" The shadow yelled as she blasted away at her surroundings.

"But no matter. I'll have one week to do as I please while she's at that spa. So long as she's in that spa she's powerless just like the others. Perfect. I can destroy her there!" The shadow yelled as an idea struck her.

A very evil idea. Oh how I'm glad I'm not in Auertisse's shoes. The shadow then started laughing evily.

* * *

**Me while panting: Finally I out ran them. Man I need to learn not to leave my weapons lying about. Oh well. I'll be seeing you guys soon. And remember I need ideas and no idea is a dumb idea. Well see you all later. Chavonnie26 GO! *starts running again because in the time I was talking Raven, the snake, the spider and the rat managed to catch up to me***


	41. Chapter 41

**Me: I have no clue where this chapter came from. Ok maybe I do have a vague idea but still it's a mystery.**

**Raven: I still haven't forgiven you for swapping me with Jasiri but I must say that the spa is a good start in getting me to forgive you.**

**Me: Thanks. I mean who doesn't love the spa?**

**Raven: Crazy people, the people who have to pay and boys.**

**Me: True oh how true. But hey at least there are more girls than guys on the trip.**

**Raven while nodding her head: True. It's me, you, Chavonne, Jasiri, Starfire, Bumble Bee, Midnight and Pyra against Robin, Beastboy, Speedy, Aqualad, Mas y Menos and Cyborg. Also why didn't you invite Herald?**

**Me: Did you want more guys moaning about the trip?**

**Raven: No I don't. Chavonnie26 owns only Jasiri, the Spa, Chavonne, Midnight and Auertisse. SkysFireLady15 owns Pyra.**

**Me: Thanks Rae. Also thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing. Now onto the fic!**

* * *

"Auertisse this has to be without a doubt your greatest idea yet." Raven said as a hunky massage boy rubbed oil into her back.

The girls were getting the full on spa treatment while the boys were at the spa's all you can eat buffet.

"I know." Auertisse said in bliss as she lounged in the hot tub with a honey and egg yolk face mask (**Me: No really that's a real facial. One of my hobbies is beauty treatments.**) And Chavonne by her side enjoying an avocado facial.

"So how can you afford this again?" Starfire asked as she enjoyed a mani-pedi.

"Each Keeper is paid for their services in gold. Plus this place is run by Keepers so I get a discount. Don't know why but hey as long as I can afford this place on a week's salary I'm cool." Auertisse said happily as she munched on some apples with peanut butter.

"Agreed." Everyone said in unison although Bumble Bee, Midnight and Jasiri's were muffled because they were getting a steam bath.

"Miss Heroina your banana smoothie is ready." The spa assistant said as she handed Auertisse a cup.

"But I didn't order one." Auertisse said as she took a sniff and almost passed out from the smell of all the lavender.

Chavonne was even looking a bit green from the smell. Auertisse then handed the smoothie back to the woman with a shake of her head. The woman took a sniff of the smoothie and almost passed out herself.

"How on earth did lavender get in here?" the woman said as she walked out of the room with the drink in hand.

Sounds of alarms rang outside of the room but the girls didn't hear them. Everyone was enjoying their treatments too much except for Auertisse. If she hadn't sniffed before she took a sip she would have been dead. Shrugging it off she tried to get back to relaxing but she had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right.

* * *

"Look I'm telling you it's not my imagination. Someone is trying to kill me." Auertisse told her friends over lunch.

"Auertisse I think your imagination is getting the better of you." Robin told her as he ate some sushi.

Auertisse sighed in frustration and used her chopsticks to pick up her own piece of sushi but stopped short when she smelled lavender on it. Auertisse then tossed it away like it was poison which it actually was.

"Ok if someone isn't trying to kill me how do you explain the lavender on my sushi in a Keeper run spa?" Auertisse asked him as everyone slowly got the feeling Auertisse was right.

"I can't." Robin grumbled hating to admit Auertisse was right.

"So what now Miss I-Know-Everything?" Robin asked her venting some of his frustrations.

A spa was probably the opposite of his idea of fun.

"If I knew then I wouldn't be asking you for help Mister Colour-Blind." Auertisse snapped back at him.

She was so worked up on who was trying to kill her she was snapping at everyone.

"Look if you don't calm your girlfriend down now I'm throwing you both out." The manager of the restaurant said angrily.

"I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND/ SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Auertisse and Robin yelled in unison completely disgusted by the idea.

Everyone else looked green at the thought. Beastboy and Jasiri even ran to the bathroom to throw up.

"If you say so." The manager said with a shrug as she walked off to talk with the other customers.

"Yeah right. The day me and Senior Serious get together is the day pigs fly." Auertisse said as she secretly swapped Raven's food with her own.

"And the day I get together with Miss Know-It-All is the day Beastboy and Jasiri become the smartest people in the world." Robin said just as harshly as Auertisse.

"Hey! That was a little uncalled for!" Beastboy and Jasiri said in unison as they came out of the bathrooms.

"Whatever I'm going to my room." Auertisse said as she left the table.

She was practically fuming. Everyone was just glad that the spa cancelled out her powers.

"That no good, son of a *****." Auertisse muttered as she returned to her room.

When she opened the door she collapsed from all the lavender in there.

* * *

Bright lights were the first thing to greet Auertisse when she woke up. Auertisse groaned as the pain from all the lavender burns finally set in.

"So what happened to her again?" Herald asked although Auertisse couldn't see him.

"Like I said we were helping Batman against a massive jail break in Gotham and Auertisse was attacked by Poison Ivy's plants which so happened to have lavender mixed in." Robin told Herald calmly.

Although Auertisse could hear how strained it was.

"So when will she wake up?" Herald asked as Auertisse felt a soft gloved hand on her cheek.

"My scans show that she can hear and feel everything around her but she can't access her body's functions. When she fully wakes up is beyond me." Cyborg said sadly.

They then finally noticed Auertisse's eyes were open.

"Next time check the patient as well as the scans." Auertisse said in a hoarse voice.

"Auertisse." Herald said as he wrapped her in a bear hug but was mindful of her burns.

"It's good to see you too." Auertisse said as she kissed him on the lips.

"Oh and Robin. Never make me that mad again or else it'll be you in this bed and not me." Auertisse said as she got out of the infirmary bed and walked to the common room leaving 3 very confused boys behind her.

* * *

"Even after all that lavender she lives!" The shadow yelled angrily as her latest plan failed.

It was starting to get on her nerves.

"Hmmm perhaps a hired gun would be more efficient." The shadow said as it unfroze Cheshire.

"Put down your weapons. I have come to make a deal with you." The shadow told a confused Cheshire.

"I'm listening." Cheshire said from behind her mask.

* * *

**Me: And here's where things get interesting. Man does that shadow mean business. I'm just glad it ain't my neck on the line. Well if anyone is up to the task of drawing the cast of this fic please let me know so I can check it out. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	42. Chapter 42

**Me: Man oh man does that shadow mean business. Too bad for her I have a plan! A genius plan! A plan that would make even Batman gasp at the geniusness of it!**

**Raven: Please stop talking. You're giving me a headache.**

**Me: Well sorry if I want to boost my spirits just a little. Little brothers can be emotional vampires.**

**Raven: Look if I agree to be more supportive would you agree to stop talking?**

**Me: Ok *zips mouth shut***

**Raven: Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing. Chavonnie26 owns only Jasiri, Midnight and Auertisse. SkysFireLady15 owns Pyra. Now onto the fic. **

* * *

"So what is this holiday again?" Starfire asked as she dressed in her best dress.

It was the same dress she wore to prom with Robin. When Auertisse, Chavonne or Jasiri questioned her on it she gave them a glare and they would shut up instantly.

"Ferias Optimi Iuvenes. A holiday where I'm from that celebrates heroes with a fancy ball." Auertisse said as she adjusted her tiara.

All the Titans including East, South and North were coming to the ball and Auertisse was getting a little nervous. Ferias Optimi Iuvenes was one of the most sacred holidays where she was from second only to Ferias Heroum. If anything went wrong she would have a thousand years of bad luck on her hands.

"And it has to be so formal because?" Raven asked while trying in vain to get her cloak back from Auertisse.

Raven was wearing a sleeveless black dress that stopped just short of her knees and black heels. It showed off more than what she was used to so she was trying in vain to get her cloak back so she could cover up.

"Look it's an ancient tradition that dates back centuries. It's supposed to be formal. Besides since I can't go back to my home world for the ceremony I have to bring it here. If this doesn't go well I'll have a thousand years of bad luck on my hands. No offence Jinx." Auertisse said almost ripping her hair out in her nervousness.

"None taken." Jinx said as she curled her hair.

She was wearing an outfit similar to Raven's except her dress had pink see-through sleeves. All the girls were getting ready in the same room so that way Auertisse could give all their outfits a good going over. Auertisse was so nervous about the ball she almost forgot to get her own dress done. She was wearing her new uniform except instead of boots she wore silver strappy heels.

"And I thought holidays in the Far Frozen were weird." Chavonne said as she adjusted her make-up.

She was also wearing her uniform but her black boots were replaced with black heels.

"So does everyone have their dates?" Auertisse asked while smoothing down her hair that was now completely black.

"Yup." Everyone but Raven replied.

"Why do we have to have dates again?" Raven asked grumpily.

She was the only one without a date. No one would ask her.

"No reason. It'll make the ball a bit more bearable." Auertisse said off handedly.

Everyone was almost ready even Melvin. Raven didn't even have to do anything. It turned out Auertisse was great with kids. She even got Timmy dressed without him having a tantrum.

"Everyone ready?" Argent who was dressed in a classic ball gown that was both black and red.

"Si." Pantha said while tugging on her dress.

It was a simple yellow dress that went down to the ground. She till wore her mask and boots. No amount of arguing on Auertisse's part could convince her otherwise.

"You know it dudette." Jasiri said as she twirled around in her dress.

She wore a light blue sparkly dress with light blue heels. Her hair was let out of her braids and put up in a bun by Bumble Bee.

"You know it girl." Bumble Bee said ready to hit the dance floor (Auertisse let her chose the music against her better judgement)

She was wearing a black and yellow striped dress that went down to her knees and black heels.

"Yes." Midnight and Pyra said in unison.

Pyra wore a green sleeveless dress that went down to the floor and silver heels. Her hair was left down. Midnight wore a midnight blue off the shoulder dress that reached her ankles and black heels. Her hair was left down as well.

"Yep." Melvin and Kole said in unison as well.

Melvin still had her pig tails but she wore a simple pink dress and ballet flats (There was no way Raven would let her wear heels) while Kole wore a simple sleeveless sky blue dress with a pink trim and pink heels to match her hair that was in its normal style.

"Alright ladies let's move out." Auertisse said as she exited through the door to the ball room.

The boys were already there and each one was in a tux. Auertisse's jaw dropped at the decorations. Everything looked more like a high school dance than a celebratory ball.

"What did you guys do?" Auertisse asked as a smile crept up onto her face, "Because it's totally awesome!"

Everyone was glad that she was happy.

"To heck with the formalities. Let's party like the teens we are! And no spiking the punch! I mean it!" Auertisse yelled as she made everyone's outfits more casual but not by much.

Everyone smiled as the music started playing. Auertisse had a great time and didn't worry about the bad luck because as long as the guests were having fun she was safe. She was having so much fun that she didn't even see Speedy sneak over to the punch bowl and spike it. It wasn't long before things got a bit out of hand. And by a bit I mean a lot. Many of the couples were heading off to the rooms around the ball room.

"SPEEDY!" Auertisse who was the only one besides Herald not affected by the punch since they didn't go anywhere near it.

Auertisse chased Speedy around for a solid 10 minutes. Eventually he lost her. Sighing Auertisse returned to Herald who was by the punch bowl. Soon everyone was completely intoxicated.

* * *

"What happened?" Auertisse asked as she woke up in a bed with Herald.

Auertisse blushed red when she saw they were both naked. Auertisse quickly got dressed and checked the security tapes for the night. Auertisse was shocked at her actions.

"Oh boy we didn't use protection." Auertisse said sacredly.

Man oh man were all the Titans in trouble. I guess it just shows. Never ever leave teenagers unsupervised at a party.

* * *

"If you kill her I will pay you your weight in gold." The shadow told Cheshire as the party went on.

"Make it Control Freak's and we have a deal." Cheshire told her as she outstretched her claws.

"Deal. Whatever it takes." The shadow said as it shook her claws.

* * *

**Raven: Man oh man I can't believe you did that.**

**Me: Well I wanted to add some suspense and this was a fun way to do it. So if anyone can guess what happens next then I'll give them whatever they want that is in my power to grant.**

**Raven: Well I hope they guess correctly. Also it's eleven months till the final battle in the story just to let you know.**

**Me: Thanks Rae. Well I'll see you all later. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Me: Man oh man is Speedy in trouble. I mean who spikes the punch at a party full of teens? It's a disaster waiting to happen.**

**Raven while nursing a hangover: Please shut it. I have a headache that makes listening to Jasiri and Beastboy sound like a picnic.**

**Me: Oops sorry. But when I get my hands on Speedy I'll *goes into a long list of tortures that mainly involve public humiliation* then I'll break his lucky comb.**

**Raven while looking impressed: I didn't know you could be that vengeful.**

**Me: Well I'm a girl and we girls can hold grudges for up to seven years or longer. I still haven't forgiven that dog for nearly taking out my right eye. And that was nine years ago!**

**Raven: Wow and people thought I could hold a grudge. A big thanks to Anonymus (Guest) and SkysFireLady15 for reviewing. And a giant thanks to Crystal-Rose-Lover for following and favouriting almost all of Chavonnie's stories.**

**Me: Thanks Raven. I own only Auertisse, Jasiri, Midnight and Chavonne. SkysFireLady15 owns Pyra. Now onto the fic.**

* * *

"SPEEDY WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU YOU'LL WISH YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!" Auertisse yelled as everyone kept her from ripping Speedy limb from limb.

It was the day after the party and everyone was incredibly ticked at Speedy for spiking the punch. Even Pyra was mad at him. And right now Auertisse was bent on ripping him to shreds and no one could blame her.

"Auertisse calm down." Herald said trying to calm the raging Auertisse.

"NOT UNTIL I RIP HIM LIMB FROM LIMB!" Auertisse shouted angrily as she fought against her captors to reach the cowering Speedy who was hiding in the corner.

"Look I know you're mad but please let him explain." Pyra said as she held on fast to Auertisse's arm.

"HE CAN EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO MY FIST!" Auertisse yelled as her eyes flashed red.

It was actually scaring everyone at how mad she was. Speedy made her break one of the only rules of a Keeper. To remain a virgin till marriage and if the Council found out she was beyond dead.

"Look I'm sorry. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Speedy asked her sacredly.

He was very close to fainting from fright. Auertisse looked more like a demon than a Keeper at that moment. Even Raven was scared of her at this point.

"SORRY! THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY?! SORRY?! BECAUSE OF YOU I BROKE ONE OF THE ONLY RULES OF BEING A KEEPER AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS SORRY!" Auertisse yelled her hair turning into flames at her anger.

At that Speedy actually fainted.

* * *

_One month later…._

"Look I keep telling you guys I'm fine!" Auertisse snapped at the others.

It was actually pretty freaky. Normally Auertisse had tons of patience except when it came to Robin. She wasn't one to snap at anyone especially her friends. But ever since a week ago she was acting weird like she was hiding something.

"Auertisse we're worried about you." Robin said surprising everyone.

It was no secret that he and Auertisse couldn't stand each other.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Auertisse said as she slammed her door shut.

Everyone didn't want to anger her more so they did what she said. Everyone that is besides Jasiri.

"Look Auertisse I know something's wrong so either you open this door now or I'll break it down." Jasiri threatened concerned for her friend.

They didn't get along some times but they were always there for each other.

"Fine." Auertisse said as she pulled Jasiri into the room.

"Ok what's going on? You're more moody than a pregnant lioness." Jasiri told her as she took a seat on her bed.

"Well you're right about the pregnant part." Auertisse said sadly as she buried her head in her hands.

Jasiri's eyes went wide.

"So at the party you and Herald? Oh boy." Jasiri said fully understanding the situation.

It was times like these that her intelligence showed.

"I know. I have no clue what to do." Auertisse said sadly as she sat down on her bean bag chair.

"So how far along are you?" Jasiri asked concerned for her friend.

"About a month. I've only known for about a week." Auertisse said almost as if she wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"Does Herald know?" Jasiri said trying to get a better grasp on the situation.

"No. You're the only other person that knows." Auertisse said sadly looking like the very picture of misery.

"Look you have to tell him and the other Titans." Jasiri said maturely.

Auertisse almost jumped out of her seat in fright of Jasiri being mature.

"Ok this is really messed up if you have to be the mature one. *sigh* I call Herald and ask him to come over. I'll tell everyone then." Auertisse said as she whipped out her communicator.

* * *

"Look I have something to tell you all." Auertisse told the assembled Titans.

In the room were Cyborg, Robin, Beastboy, Jasiri, Starfire, Chavonne, Raven and Herald.

"What is it?" Herald asked her looking nervous.

"Well I'm um I'm uh pregnant." Auertisse said barely a squeak but everyone heard it anyway.

There was silence for a moment until Beastboy started laughing.

"And people said you aren't funny." Beastboy said while wiping a tear from his eye.

No one else was laughing in fact they were all glaring at him mainly because Auertisse never told jokes. Ever.

"I wasn't joking." Auertisse said while taking a seat.

"So you're having a baby. That's nice." Beastboy said then promptly fell over in a dead faint.

"Well he took that better than I thought." Auertisse said calmly.

"So you're pregnant? Who's the dad?" Starfire asked excitedly.

She was all set on being a knorfka for Auertisse's little bundle of joy.

"Herald." Auertisse said simply and it was Herald's turn to faint.

"Oh come on why is everyone fainting?" Auertisse asked as the others came out of their shock.

"So how far along are you?" Raven asked a little eagerly.

She loved kids even though she wouldn't admit it.

"About a month." Auertisse said as Herald woke up and heard her.

"So at the party oh boy." Herald said as he finally wrapped his head around the fact Auertisse was pregnant.

"I know." Auertisse said surprisingly calm.

"So picked out any names yet?" Beastboy asked as he woke up.

* * *

"How is it she can turn a bad situation into a good one? And where on earth is my hired gun?" The shadow asked as it spied on Auertisse.

"I will not attack a pregnant woman." Cheshire said over the phone.

Right now she was in the Caribbean enjoying the sun and sand.

"I'll pay you even more." The shadow pleaded.

"No." Cheshire said firmly.

The shadow screamed in rage.

* * *

**Me: And this is the product of sex ed classes and an over active imagination. Also for all you fellow girls out there I pray that you never have to have a sex ed class with a bunch of boys. I had it once and oh boy was it embarrassing. Well I'll see you guys later. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Me: In the words of a great fan of this fic Auertisse is not going to have an easy pregnancy. Well not in those exact words but still pretty close. A mean what do you get when you have a temperamental reality warper who's on mood swings? A whole lot of fun that's what.**

**Raven: And I have to live with her during this? Not fair.**

**Me sarcastically: Life got fair?** **Why wasn't I told?**

**Raven: Well played. Well played.**

**Me: Why thank you. Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing and to alainaGee for following.**

**Raven: Chavonnie26 owns only Auertisse, Jasiri, Artemis and Apolla and Chavonne. **

**Me: Good now onto the fic!**

* * *

"Look I don't need all the help. I'm only two months pregnant. I'm not exactly helpless." Auertisse said as she lifted some weights.

She wasn't even showing yet but once Robin found out she was pregnant she was banned from all missions. On the upside Herald was staying with them so he could watch over her.

"But still you should be more concerned for your future bumgorf." Starfire said trying to reason with the pregnant Keeper.

"Starfire believe me when I say this. I am looking out for the baby but I also need to take care of myself." Auertisse said as she put the barbell back.

"Is that why you ate my zorrka berries?" Starfire asked sceptically.

Auertisse was well and truly pregnant. She had it all. Weird food cravings, morning sickness and everything.

"Uh oh." Auertisse said as she ran to the bathroom for the third time that morning.

* * *

"I still can't believe you banned me from the gym." Auertisse said later that day as she sat down in front of the TV.

She was dressed in a simple baggy deep blue sweatshirt and a pair of grey yoga pants.

"It had to be done. Also you are now confined to the Tower. No leaving it under any circumstances." Robin told her sternly.

"Ok fine. Also quick question. How are you going to handle the press when they find out?" Auertisse asked out of curiosity since she hadn't been bugged by the press at all when she went out to buy baby supplies or go to the doctor.

"Um well I uh I have to go!" Robin said nervously as he ran out the room.

He hadn't thought about the press and was surprised they hadn't found out already.

"So when is the cradle getting here again?" Auertisse asked Herald who was by her side as she munched on a pickle.

* * *

Month after month passed until the nine months of Auertisse's pregnancy were up. All the Titans were currently waiting in the emergency room of the hospital. Auertisse had just gone into labour and Herald was right by her side.

"So what do you think they'll name her?" Starfire asked out of the blue hoping to cut the tension.

They found out Auertisse was having a girl a few weeks ago.

"I'm hoping for Mary." Robin said while pacing like most of the Titans.

"Oh no she's not going to name it Mary. She's going to name her Maua." Jasiri said stubbornly.

Soon everyone was fighting on what to name the baby.

* * *

"Congratulations miss Heroina. You've given birth to twins. And they're both girls." The nurse said as she handed Auertisse two pink bundles.

It those bundles were two tiny baby girls. They both had light brown skin and pitch black hair. One had a sun birth mark on her right hand while the other had a crescent moon birth mark on her left hand.

"They look just like you." Herald told her as one of the twins grabbed his finger in a vice grip.

"I think I have the perfect names for them." Auertisse said as she gazed at the twins with love.

"I think I know what you're thinking. Artemis and Apolla right?" Herald asked her.

"You always know what I'm thinking don't you?" Auertisse said as she kissed him.

"Have you decided on the names?" the nurse asked the couple.

"Yep. This one is Artemis Alexandria Heroina Duncan and this one is Apolla Cameron Heroina Duncan." Auertisse said as she named the two twins.

Artemis had the moon birth mark and Apolla had the sun birth mark.

"Nice. I'll let the visitors in." the nurse said as she went to fetch the rest of the Titans West.

"So have you named her?" Beastboy asked as he came around the corner.

He was the first person in.

"Yes we've named them." Herald said surprising everyone who was now in the room.

"But we thought." Jasiri said as she gazed at the two pink bundles.

"You asked what gender not how many. This is Artemis and this is Apolla." Auertisse said as she cradled the two bundles protectively.

"Aw they are so cute." Starfire said as she gazed at the twins that looked back at her with deep gold eyes.

"So who are the god parents?" Robin asked hoping it would be him and Starfire.

"The god parent is Raven." Auertisse said calmly as she handed Artemis to Starfire and Apolla to Raven.

"What?!" Everyone asked confused until it finally clicked.

"Oh." Everyone said as they realised Auertisse and Herald were just being good parents.

"That is if you'll accept." Auertisse said as she looked at Raven with puppy dog eyes.

"Of course I'll accept." Raven said as she handed Apolla back to Auertisse and Starfire handed back Artemis.

"Thanks and I know I might regret this later but Starfire would you be my little girls' knorfka?" Auertisse asked Starfire hesitantly while hoping she pronounced the word knorfka correctly.

"Of course!" Starfire said happily as she looked ready to wrap Auertisse and the twins in one of her bone crushing hugs.

"Don't even think about it." Auertisse said knowing what she was thinking before she could even attempt it.

Starfire's face deflated a little bit but it was barely noticeable. After a hour later the Titans West and Herald were shoved out the door so Auertisse and the twins could sleep.

"Bonum nox dulcis mea luna et sol." Auertisse said to her twins as they finally fell asleep.

* * *

"Two months to go. Time to train my army." The shadow said as it unfroze all the villains.

"Soon the world will fall into darkness." The shadow said as it got her army ready for the final battle.

* * *

**Me: And the story soon draws to a close. So I was wondering if I should do a sequel? Well I'll see you all soon. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Me: Oh how great stories end it truly is tragic *mock faints***

**Raven: You really need to stop it with the acting. You're starting to scare people.**

**Me: Hey I'm a Leo. It's what we Leos do. We act, create works of art and throw tantrums when we don't get our way. Would you rather I have a tantrum?**

**Raven while looking paler than usual: No! Let's just get on with this Author's Note ok?**

**Me while snickering: Sure. Big thanks to SkysFireLady15 for reviewing and big thanks to Moonlesscat for reviewing thrice. It means a lot.**

**Raven: Chavonnie26 owns only Artemis, Apolla, Auertisse, Midnight, Jasiri, Chavonne and very unfortunately the shadow. Now onto the second last chapter.**

* * *

"Man your kids are strong." Jasiri said as she was levitated above the couch by Apolla.

"Well they do have me as their mom." Auertisse said as she fed Artemis.

Weirdest thing the babies never cried but instead got everyone's attention by using their powers that were the same as their mom's.

"True that." Chavonne said as she tried to copy what Apolla was doing.

She was actually learning quite a lot from the twins even though they had only been home for about a month.

"It also looks like they inherited their mom's hatred to Robin." Beastboy said in between laughs as Robin was tossed around like a rag doll in mid-air.

It was one of the ways the twins used up their extra energy and Robin was always the one to be tossed.

"Let me down from here." Robin pleaded.

Robin was already looking a bit green but Artemis and Apolla were laughing their little heads off.

"Now why would I do that?" Auertisse asked also enjoying the show.

"Please put me down. Please I'm begging you." Robin pleaded to Auertisse as the twins and she finally got bored and let him drop to the floor.

"Ow." Robin moaned as he sat up.

"Oh there you are Artemis and Apolla." Starfire said as she came through from the kitchen holding something green and probably inedible.

The twins and their mom shared a look and teleported back to the nursery.

"Oh X'Hal why do they always do that?" Starfire asked a very battered and bruised Robin.

Robin didn't answer but instead fell down in a dead faint.

* * *

"You're a great mom you know that?" Herald asked Auertisse as she gently placed the twins in their cots.

One was decorated with suns the other with moons.

"Shhh you'll wake them." Auertisse said in a whisper as she kissed each twin's head.

Auertisse and Herald then left the nursery but not before dimming the lights and gently closing the door. Once they were out of the nursery they then walked back to the common room to enjoy some TV and quality time with each other while the kids slept.

When they arrived at the common room everyone was there sitting on the couch eating junk food and watching a movie. But as soon as Auertisse walked into the room the TV went black. Everyone was confused at why it happened but the red light from the TV showed it was still on confusing everyone even more.

"Ah hello my friends. I thought it would be just fair to warn you that I will attack in one month's time. So you better prepare 'cause this battle will be the one to end it all." The shadow said as the TV went back to normal.

The Titans were all shell-shocked except for Auertisse who looked determined.

"We need to contact the other Titans. It's time to go to war." Auertisse said grimly as she called up all the other Titans that received the same message.

They all agreed that something had to be done so soon Robin who had come out of his shock started planning a counter-attack. Auertisse filled him in on all she knew about the shadow. Everyone was afraid for what was to come after she told them everything she knew. But they all agreed that the shadow had to be taken care of so Robin called all the Titans to the original Titans' Tower for training.

* * *

As training went on Artemis and Apolla tried their very best to help. They were both incredibly smart for their age. But because of their age everyone kept them away from the training halls where they could get hurt.

"Apolla, Artemis I know you want to help but you're just too young. Let mommy deal with this ok?" Auertisse asked the twins as she caught them trying to teleport into the training hall.

Both twins gave her what could only be considered a Jasiri pout. It was a combination of a puppy dog pout and a glare. On anyone it just looked ridiculous.

"I have got to stop letting Jasiri baby sit you guys." Auertisse said as she walked back to the nursery with them.

* * *

Week after week the Titans trained getting ready for the worst battle of their lives. All their suits were coated in lavender and armour so that the rogue shadow Keeper couldn't touch them. But that also meant Auertisse, Chavonne, Artemis and Apolla couldn't touch them either. Robin trained everyone in martial arts and Auertisse showed them how to get the most out of their powers. Each day was a new class but Auertisse never truly got to train since she was always watching out for the kids.

They trained long and hard until the day finally came for when the shadow would attack but everyone was surprised to see it was also the day of Auertisse's birthday.

"Oh Auertisse come out to play." The shadow said as she and her army waited outside the Tower.

"Can I please do it this time?" Auertisse asked Robin who was decked out in his armoured version of his costume.

"Be my guest." Robin told her as he clutched his bo-staff tightly and looked ready to bust some heads.

"TITANS TOGETHER!" Auertisse yelled as everyone leapt into battle.

* * *

**Me: Look I know you want to kill me right about now but please be patient. I will finish this story soon. So sequel or no sequel that is the question on my mind. If you have the answer please send it in. Well I'll be seeing you in the final battle. Chavonnie26 GO!**


	46. Chapter 46

**Me: And so the story comes to a close. My greatest master piece is almost complete. But no matter it shall live on in the sequel! That's right y'all I'm making a sequel. Who's your momma? Who's your wicked cool authoress momma? Me that's who. Oh right the disclaimer. *chuckles nervously* I own only what you don't recognise from the TV show. Now onto the ultimate hard core rock your socks off battle!**

* * *

"Yahh." Auertisse yelled as the shadow cut her cheek with its claws.

Her whole body was covered in cuts and scrapes but the one that really looked serious was the large gash on her stomach. Her dress was also in tatters but still covered what needed to be covered.

"My, my not so powerful now are ya?" the shadow said as it leered at Auertisse.

Auertisse had been fighting the shadow since the beginning of the fight and was slowly being drained while the shadow didn't have a cut or scratch on it.

"Depends on what you mean by powerful." Auertisse said while panting like a dog in the summer heat.

She wasn't quitting anytime soon. The shadow then lunged at Auertisse yet again and gave her another cut on the cheek.

"You are no match against the powers of darkness." The shadow said as it scratched Auertisse's unmarked palm.

"Dark equals hate then that means." Auertisse said as she remembered the lessons from the Training Academy.

Auertisse smirked and stood ready to battle.

* * *

"Well sister dear you certainly have gotten stronger." Blackfire said as she blasted Starfire with a starbolt.

Starfire was tired she was barely staying airborne but the thought of Blackfire winning was enough to keep her moving.

"That's not all that's new." Starfire said angrily as she fired a barrage of starbolts at her sister.

The two sisters had been battling it out for over an hour and neither one was quitting.

* * *

"Temper, temper Robin." Slade mocked as he fought Robin.

Both were near dropping point but neither wanted to give up. Robin didn't respond since he was listening to Auertisse's advice and tuning Slade out. Something that Slade found incredibly upsetting. Both were out of weapons so they were fighting hand to hand.

"Give up Robin you can't win." Slade said as he dodged a kick to his head.

"Oh yes I can." Robin said as he finally won the fight by knocking Slade out.

* * *

"Jasiri, Jasiri what am I going to do with you?" Black Mamba asked as she held Jasiri up by her braids.

"I can tell you what I'm going to do with you." Jasiri said as she punched Black Mamba in the gut with her free hand.

"Oh baby brat fights back." Black Mamba said as she wiped the blood from the corner of her face.

Jasiri smirked and turned into an elephant hybrid and charged at Black Mamba.

* * *

"Ohh they are so cute." See-More said as he gazed at Artemis and Apolla.

Artemis glared at him then smirked. She held out her marked hand to her sister who grabbed it. Th HIVE Five were lifted into the air and swung around like a group of rag dolls.

"How are those snot muncher's kids doing this?" Gizmo asked as they were tossed out a window.

Artemis and Apolla high fived each other.

* * *

Each person had their own personal battle. Jinx with Madame Rouge, Cyborg with Brother Blood and Beastboy with the brain. And the good guys were winning. Including Auertisse.

'_Think about the people I love.' _Auertisse told herself as she blasted the shadow with everything she had.

"Herald, Artemis and Apolla, Raven, Jasiri, Starfire, Chavonne, Cyborg, Beastboy, Robin, the Titans." Auertisse yelled as her blast got more and more powerful after each word.

The shadow was having a hard time keeping up. Then it happened. Auertisse's hair and eyes became bright gold, her skin silver and her blast was now half silver half gold. The shadow was completely destroyed and in its place was a woman around 25 with black hair and eyes. Her outfit was completely black and gothic.

"Umbra prepare to be locked away forever." Auertisse said in an echoic voice.

Auertisse then tossed Umbra into a worm hole to the Nightmare realm where you live your worst nightmares.

"It is done." Auertisse said as she turned back to normal and collapsed from exhaustion.

* * *

Soon all the villains were captured and refrozen but this time in a locked safe that not even Robin could crack. Each and every Titan was battered and bruised but none more than Auertisse. She was rushed to the infirmary to get treated. And although they all would heal everyone including the twin reality warpers would carry the scars for the rest of their lives. Both physically and emotionally.

As the Titans grew older they settled down and had families but they always remained in touch. Chavonne finally went home to the Ghost Zone and met that someone special while Auertisse remained with the Titans saying that the Tower was her home now and she wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Each Titan eventually had their own bundles of joy but that's a story for another day.

THE END.

* * *

**Me while crying: And so my longest most popular fic ever ends. It's sad really but soon the sequel shall come but the thing is I need villains people so send them in. Oh and before I forget big thanks to Robstarforeves22 (Guest) for reviewing. Well I'll see you all in the sequel. Chavonnie26 GO!**


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